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Originally Posted by Jeff Chambers
I'm an engineer with NASA...for 17 years now. I manage two cryogenic facilities where we do research with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. I also started my own performance shop about six months ago. I'd rather be turning wrenches on a blown motor than pushing a pencil at NASA. Go figure....eight years of college and I'm happier getting my knuckles busted up!
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Don't feel bad, Jeff.
My best bud has a degree in computer engineering but abandoned the field many years ago to pursue wrenching on cars, instead. He opened his own shop (with a mechanic-friend partner) 18 years ago, added used cars as a sideline (with another partner who takes care of the car-selling side of the business, which is
huge) in the early 1990's, bought out his original partner in 2002 and now makes big bucks doing what he likes. How much? Low six figures per year - and he puts on a uniform, grabs a wrench and gets his hands dirty almost every day. Fortunately, he's also an electronic/tech wiz, which helps him a lot these days in the incresingly electronic-based auto repair field.
He plans to sell out in 5 years or so (for 1, maybe 2 million ) and go do something else. After spending his adult life working on cars, he's finally getting bored with it and is leaning toward doing something with light planes, instead. He's a licensed commercial pilot and might open up a light-plane repair/refurbishing facility...or - according to him - he may just go to Hawaii and sit on the beach.
Oh yeah: he's only 45.
The point is that even with a nice, safe, steady career, you have to do what makes you happiest, if you can. After all, we only get the one chance. Do what you want, not what you think you
should. It may not work out...but then again, maybe it
will.