Why can’t I meet anyone who wants a big career that changes the world?

[Anonymous]

Unsurprising giving the number of lawyers and bureaucrats that live here. They sure are making the world a better place, one memorandum at a time.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you would like to attend one of those #momboss conventions that I'm always seeing people post about on Facebook.

"OMG! I can't believe I've lived this long without meeting this AMAZING group of momtrepreneurs! This week has changed my life and given me such a strong support grop.
They are such an inspiration, and like them, I will never trade my FINANCIAL FREEDOM for a timecard ever again <3"

[Anonymous]

There are a lot of people here doing some astounding things but they can't talk about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve lived in several major metro areas, most recently here in the DMV. I’ve met so many people (mostly parents like me.) But everyone’s jobs seem a little blah. No one is passionate about their work or using their skills to leave the world a better place. Some people like their jobs (“it’s interesting, I appreciate the flexibility”) but no one really wants to talk about their work.

I am always reading about entrepreneurs, psychologists, lawyers, researchers and policymakers who are doing fascinating work and changing the world. Where are these people and how do I meet them in real life?

I run my own pretty unique business and I’m happy with my job and the impact I’m making (which I truly believe can change the world as we grow). But I just feel so alone because none of my friends or acquaintances get my ambition, my interest in figuring out complex problems or trying to create something new that makes a huge impact.

Because meaningful jobs are specialized and you wouldn't understand them, even if you are doing meaningful work in a different field. And after 40+ hrs/week, people want something else when they go home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people in DC do work like this. But talking about it in the terms that you are using easily comes across as narcissistic, self-promoting, or naive. It is more popular here to appear to be self-deprecating but use terms and lingo that other like-minded people will pick up on. Of course people can also be self-promoting braggarts but they usually do it in a more subtle way than places like NYC and San Francisco.

This. People who talk a lot about making the world a better place often have an overinflated sense of self-importance, and might even be ignorant to how they’re doing more harm than good. (All those Silicon Valley startups reallt made the world a better place, didn’t they?)

The real difference makers are going about it much more quietly.

+1

It sounds so naive. I used to be like that until I grew up and realized that my sphere of influence and what I can actually achieve. I work at one of the largest companies in the world (if not the largest) and even our CEO is a replaceable corporate cog. How much impact can a singular cog really have? And all those profs and R&D folks - most of their work will be obsolete and insignificant as soon as the paper about it get published. Most of us realize we aren't Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos, and we will never be. Demoralizing? Maybe. Reality? Yes.

Small drops in a bucket spill over to cause change more often than a large shift. We are all those drops. I have a good life and it works for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unsurprising giving the number of lawyers and bureaucrats that live here. They sure are making the world a better place, one memorandum at a time.

Would you rather live in Russia or Somalia, without people maintaining civil structure?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve lived in several major metro areas, most recently here in the DMV. I’ve met so many people (mostly parents like me.) But everyone’s jobs seem a little blah. No one is passionate about their work or using their skills to leave the world a better place. Some people like their jobs (“it’s interesting, I appreciate the flexibility”) but no one really wants to talk about their work.

I am always reading about entrepreneurs, psychologists, lawyers, researchers and policymakers who are doing fascinating work and changing the world. Where are these people and how do I meet them in real life?

I run my own pretty unique business and I’m happy with my job and the impact I’m making (which I truly believe can change the world as we grow). But I just feel so alone because none of my friends or acquaintances get my ambition, my interest in figuring out complex problems or trying to create something new that makes a huge impact.

Join a country club or professional club or networking association. Or LinkedIn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people in DC do work like this. But talking about it in the terms that you are using easily comes across as narcissistic, self-promoting, or naive. It is more popular here to appear to be self-deprecating but use terms and lingo that other like-minded people will pick up on. Of course people can also be self-promoting braggarts but they usually do it in a more subtle way than places like NYC and San Francisco.

This. I know a bunch of people with jobs like this, and they would never describe themselves the way OP does, or talk like this at all. Op is a wanker.

[Anonymous]

If you are friends with other parents, most people have moved on from those kinds of jobs for flexibility, money, or both.

But generally speaking, you aren't going to find a higher concentration of those people anywhere but DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve lived in several major metro areas, most recently here in the DMV. I’ve met so many people (mostly parents like me.) But everyone’s jobs seem a little blah. No one is passionate about their work or using their skills to leave the world a better place. Some people like their jobs (“it’s interesting, I appreciate the flexibility”) but no one really wants to talk about their work.

I am always reading about entrepreneurs, psychologists, lawyers, researchers and policymakers who are doing fascinating work and changing the world. Where are these people and how do I meet them in real life?

I run my own pretty unique business and I’m happy with my job and the impact I’m making (which I truly believe can change the world as we grow). But I just feel so alone because none of my friends or acquaintances get my ambition, my interest in figuring out complex problems or trying to create something new that makes a huge impact.

You seem to be determined to change the world.
Curious to know what impact you have already made. How have you changed the world?

[Anonymous]

Most people are followers and work government jobs or non profit jobs for "safe paychecks."

You need to get out of DC to find business innovators.

[Anonymous]

You don't know any narcissist grifters who love to hear themselves give a Ted Talk. Congrats.

[Anonymous]

You probably do know some of these people in real life, they just don't want to talk about it with a random mom at a birthday party. Also the people with the most interesting jobs in DC can't go into detail about what they do. If you built real friendships instead of immediately writing people off as boring and uninspired you might start to notice how interesting they actually are.

[Anonymous]

I know lots of people whose work is making positive impacts on the world, but none of them talk about work as casual conversation.

I have a neighbor who is leading a particular worldwide disease eradication effort and has had those glowing magazine article write ups you are talking about. I saw him at the neighborhood pool yesterday and we talked about the tomatoes we are growing in our gardens.

[Anonymous]

I hate when people ask about my work. It is work. It is not fun. Of course I started out idealistic working on the hill and wanted to change the world with important policies.

Now, I just hope I can make the place I work easier and better for the next person and maybe save the govt. some money. It is a fine job. Interesting enough, not much else to say.

Before this I worked on stuff I wasn’t allowed to talk about so I deflected.