Posted by Joe Baker on January 07, 2003 at 17:42:17:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Tis the Season to Audition posted by Jeff R on December 31, 2002 at 14:59:18:
You've left out the best part! Because he had the kind of integrity mentioned in an earlier post, he did a great job - even though he didn't really want to do it! I believe that the biggest difference between someone who does quality work and someone who does not is that person's integrity, NOT their level of enjoyment at work. Doing the work to 'realize a dream' IS one kind of integrity, but it isn't the ONLY kind of integrity.
Life has, as Rick Denney pointed out, all kinds of dreams. I chose to give up the music dream to maximize my chance of a wife-and-kids dream. Is music incompatible with a stable home life? No. Is it AS compatible as an 8-5 job as a computer programmer? No. So I "fell back" on programming, because it maximized my chances to realize my greatest desire. At times I don't like it very much, but I do my job in such a way that no one who works with me KNOWS I don't like it, and it (usually) gives me security and stability that I like VERY much.
Joe Baker, who at age 41 is happier with his decision than he has ever been.