July 11 Make-Up: Psychoanalyst Guy, University Job, Piece of Mind

NOTE:  Sorry I didn't post yesterday.  I got involved in a project yesterday evening that took almost two hours to complete.  This post was meant to be posted last night.
 

A lot of people, especially this one psychoanalyst guy they have here, keeps asking me if I’m going to apply myself when I go back to school next September.  It’s such a stupid question, in my opinion.  I mean how do you know what you’re going to do till you do it?  The answer is, you don’t.  I think I am, but how do I know?  I swear it’s a stupid question.

Holden hates being told what to do.  Obviously.  He’s flunked out of so many schools that I can’t keep track of them all.  Now, at the end of the book, he’s arguing with his therapist about the future, whether he’s going to apply himself.

I have a very good friend who sometimes likes to tell me what I should do with my life.  I’ve gotten used to these conversations, but, today, my friend started pressing me to apply for a job at the university I simply don’t want to have.  While I would be making more money at this other job, I wouldn’t be any happier than I am right now.  It would be a lateral move in job satisfaction.  While I would enjoy being at the university full-time, I know I would be slightly left of miserable in this other position.

Don't misunderstand me.  I do want to work full-time at the university, but I don't want to be an administrative assistant/secretary.  That's pretty much the kind of position I currently hold in the medical office.

However, my good friend doesn't understand why I don't want to make this leap.  She doesn't understand that there are leaps of faith and leaps off a bridge.  I've worked in an office for over 16 years.  I don't want to leap into another office for another 15 or 20 years.  That's a bridge leap, not a faith leap.

My friend knows I'm not really happy with my medical office job, and she wants me to be happy.  I get that.  But she's backing me into a corner.  I'm going to feel like a failure if I don't apply for this other job, thanks to my friend's "help."

Here's the thing:  I know what makes me happy, and I know what will make me unhappy.  I go by instinct on decisions like this one.  Right now, my instinct is telling me, "Same job, different office."

And that's a piece of Saint Marty's mind. 

You just have to know when to leap and when not to