Any tips for reaching potential?

[Thenightcircus]

I'm 36 and I haven't reached my potential but I don't even know what my potential is!!

I did alright at school (clever but lazy!). I'm very techie but my role / career hasn't made use of that either. Pre children I had a fun career in marketing!

I'm freelancing which means I sort of drift between jobs rather than climb the career ladder - if that makes sense?

I'm only freelance because the job market local to me is quite flakey. I'm not near a big city and so opportunities are mainly NHS or Council only.

I don't think I have any hobbies. I used to run, play tennis and swim - but long term illness has stopped those things.

I have DC and I do a lot of homeschooling as one of them LOVES learning. No pressure on his part, pure fun only (like fun home science experiments etc!)

Marriage is awesome. Very happy there.

But something feels lacking in my life, I'm sure it's my career or lack of learning (missed the boat on OU! Next intake is next Summer). I ought to retrain and I've looked into cyber security but it's a no go here.

Anyone else feel the same? Meh & blerrrggh?

Oh I should say that the children are at the local school. I'm not a homeschooling mum!! We just do extra at home for fun..

Retrain as a software engineer. Excellent pay and flexibility and very in demand!

Me! I just started a new business this month making things to try and blast through the bleurgh but I don’t know what I properly want to do. Almost 36 too lol.

Also I should say I'm also 36 and feeling bleugh like I also haven't achieved my potential. Haha maybe it's a midlife crisis moment?!

And I also have a long term illness that stops me from being active. Crazy similarities!

As I wrote my post I was thinking "is 36 the new midlife crisis of blerghness?"

😂 I'd love to be a software engineer. I think I'd rather do testing but I don't even know I have the aptitude for it. I did coding at university!

Loads of similarities @beonmywaythen I wish I knew what to do!!

@PeekabooAtTheZoo congrats! Do you like it?

I hate freelancing but I think that's only because it enables me to drift 😂 I am one of those process driven people who needs regulation and routine! Bahaha!!

I am also 36 and feel similar!
I just feel like I drift through jobs, without ever really having an aim. I looked at the OU last year, but not a chance I could afford it. I wouldn’t really know what to do anyway.
I keep seeing loads of online MSc in v cool fields, but I never got my BSc - I did 18 months of it, then have floated around science-y jobs since.
Feel very aimless and verging on past-it tbh

@Thriwit

I think it's an age thing! There must be something we can do to feel better / reach our goals? I don't even have any goals because I'm so drifty

Do you want an idea for software? I'd like a high end music app and have an idea of what I want but no idea how to code.

I have no idea, but I'm comforted that I'm not alone

I think a bit of it is that for the last 12 years all my spare time/effort/energy has been on my DC. Now they’re more independent, I have that time and energy for myself, but I’m just so lost. And I similarly don’t live that near a city, so there aren’t a huge amount of jobs to choose from. Oh then there’s the mortgage/bills thing - I can’t take a lower-level job in a new field, or retrain or anything because I need my wage. Not that I earn a huge amount anyway!

I just feel very adrift. I want more - be that hobbies, interests, or career - I just have no idea what or how. So same! I don’t even have any goals. I just know I want them 😅

@Thriwit EXACTLY how I feel!!

If you’re going to start a course with the open university next year, there are loads of free short courses you can do with them, find the ones relevant to your course and get a head start!

Great advice! I think I bloody will @Founditinyou 💪thank you!!

I read something somewhere that said not everyone can climb to the top of the mountain, or indeed even want to.

The way to be content, they said, was not to look up and be disappointed at how far you haven't climbed, but to look down, be proud of how far you've come, and admire the view from where you are.

@EndlessMagpies oh I love this!! Thank you for sharing this

When I look down I can see I've come quite far actually. Certainly considering my chaotic and poverty striken childhood.

@Founditinyou I've started a free course that would actually be useful in my freelancing (swot analysis!)

You're a star, thank you

I’m glad you’ve taken the first step and I hope it helps! Good luck 💐

🙂