Welcome to your quarter life crisis. It happens. I’ve been there for quite some time. Some people just keep on doing the same thing. Others try something completely different, like Alex.

I made a good joke, but then I realized it was too good, so I’m saving it for my own blog.

I think all these crisis deals are over-rated. If inane introspectiveness has taught me anything, it’s that nothing is ever as big a deal as it seems. You probably don’t need ‘significant change’ If you don’t like the way it works, just throw a wrench in the machine and see what happens. Even if it doesn’t work out it will build character.

I know exactly how you feel keach. All i have to say is that there’s plenty of opportunities out there…and if you have the time, then you can find a way to utilize them. juggling worked for me…likewise with working out. just find your niche, and go for it!

rory, you just about exemplify a quarter life crisis… what exactly do you want to do again? why didn’t you choose a job until so late? questioning what you want your life to comprise of is nothing to take lightly.

I think you’ve got the one-year itch. So many people (me included!) realize that the post-college work world isn’t what they expected. I think it’s hard because it’s the first time that we’ve ever been somewhere for more than a few months. I’ve been told that if you give it some time you’ll be surprised with the results.

That being said, write down what it is that you are unhappy with. If it’s work, talk to your boss. If it’s life, you are the boss and the only person who can really change your life is you.

When in doubt think back to when you were a kid and play. Sometimes it really helps to just let go and put some of life’s bigger “problems” into perspective. Good luck…

What the hell do those two questions have to do with what I said? Jesus Christ Kiefer, who the hell are you to tell me I’m the epitome of a quarter-life crisis. But you know what you’re right dude. I spent how many years being miserable because I couldn’t figure out what I wanted my life to be. So when you say that this shouldn’t be taken likely, you say that because that’s what you THINK one should do. But when I say that it’s not that big of a deal I say that from experience!

See Kiefer, what I called inane introspectiveness, you are calling a quarter-life crisis. I started having that four years ago and got over it about a year and a half later. Maybe that means I’m going to die sixteen years earlier then everyone else, oh well. I never came to a conclusion, I have no answer to those questions, but I stopped being miserable about it. That’s the important part.

Keacher, I don’t know how to get out of your rut, and I don’t know the best way to figure out what you want to do. I do hope you understand that I was offering perspective and not trying to give you advice. All I know, is that you can spend years calculating, and studying, and contemplating, trying to figure out what’s important, or you can just see what’s at the top when you put the test tube in the centerfuge and let it spin.

And Rory, that’s exactly it. You’re happy. And that’s awesome. The rest of us, me included, are a couple years behind you; it’s not that we are unhappy, but just not satisfied. We are just looking at the coin from opposite sides. I don’t know how you did it. But you did. And that’s fuckin’ sweet!

Keacher, perhaps you should ask yourself what your purpose is? We all are here for one aren’t we. Once you find that well I can imagine you’ll be a happy man.

well, you’re like the smartest dude i know keach. so, you know you’re not doing all you used to do in college. you’re not doing ALL that crazy comm. serv., you’re not serving on executive councils for your Fraternity, you’re not partying like a gansta with your homedaddies. and who is? that’s the first thing i changed when i get into ruts: get busier. we know you play mad hockey with crazy mutak and work your ass off at your jorb. i know you get down with the bimmers on MN and drive like you just stole that Modded Vehick of yours. the thing i am continually thinking to myself is: “there is always someone out there doing more for people than i.”… damn you ed! 🙂

Go to war!

Go to Europe.

Wait…

Thanks for all the input! What does the future hold? Stay tuned…

i’m pretty sure everyone who’s commented on conversation starter is older and probably wiser than i, but i’m goin’ through something similar and have found the solution not too dissimilar (spell?…word?) from the solution to lack of female companionship: the more you think about it and the more effort you put into solving this particular kind of problem, the worse it seems to get (even if it’s in your own mind). it’s counterintuitive to a problem solving engineer/scientist, but something/someone/some solution often presents itself once you stop looking. i say take it easy go about your day, try to have some fun, get out of the house on occasion, but don’t be afraid to enjoy some relaxing down time.

hi, i’m only a simple visitor of your sute. I don’t understand, why you are in crisis? what’s wrong in your life? in your photos i see only beautiful things. bye young man. saluti dall’italia 🙂

Progress report?

kill for me

Hey Jeff, was out and about looking for the Carolina vacation wiki (which Tom has neglected to send to me, despite my frequent requests… perhaps writing it online will get his attention. 🙂 and ran across your expression of ennui. (English majors never miss a chance to use the word ennui… so I was compelled to respond.) Actually, I’ve been thinking more about this since we discussed it the other night, and I tend to agree with those who suggest that you just need to make some thing happen – anything- to shake things up. You don’t have to do anything radical, at least at first. Just change the game a bit, and see what happens.
I found myself in a similar situation when I first entered Guidant. At that time I decided that I needed to create a better social netowork for myself, and created a social club that still exists today. It was what I needed, and kind of became my life blood for a while, and helped me both get involved in new things at work and also develop friendships that have lasted. Now, a social network might not be what floats your boat – perhaps you need more intellectual challenge, and could ask your manager or your HR rep about opportunities to get on a cross-functional team of somekind. Or, perhaps like you say, you need to find something outside of work helping people in some way. Anyway, what I found at the time was that even though it took energy, it was worth it.
Along the way those new perspectives (from the people you meet) and experiences will help guide your thinking as to whether you truly need a radical career change, or whether you just needed to spice things up a bit. Dating would be another way to shake things up — that was the period in my life when I tried the online dating scene for the first time – it only took a few dates to determine that it wasn’t for me, but it definitely offered me some new perspective, not to mention a huge ego boost! 🙂 Good luck!