I don't normally set myself goals in life, I think this maybe one of the reasons for not achieving more than I have so far.

My goal is to try and get a better a job and earn a lot more than I am doing at the moment.

In order to achieve my aim. I have started an Open University Degree "BSc Honours Computing and Information Technology".

I realise that at at 30, I have started thinking about my job prospects a little late.

Even though the IT sector is going through a slump at the moment, I hope that by the time I have completed my degree, sometime in 2008, that the IT sector will have improved substantially.

For me, most of the time I equate money with happiness, even though this may sound shallow.

Getting your degree is definitely a worthwhile goal.

I don't think equating money with happiness is necessarily shallow, money plays a large part in the happiness equation for most people.

30 is not nearly too late to start anything, unless it's something like being a professional athlete. Even then it wouldn't be impossible.

I wouldn't put too much stock in whether or not the IT sector is in a slump. In my opinion, focusing on this kind of thing is often times the only thing holding someone back. I remember when I was in tech school for electronics, the general attitude was that there were no good entry level electronics jobs to be had. The thing is though, is that some people graduated and when out and found damn good jobs, while the rest sat around crying about there being no good jobs. IMHO what you believe about yourself and your opportunities are 100 times more important than what everyone else believes.

I started in the IT sector at the age of 30. My first job was doing data entry on a computer. I used to start every day by saying today I am a programmer and one day.. I was.

The IT sector has so many facets to it. It is a lucrative career and the demand for skilled people within it will always be high.

I know that there are IT jobs out there, you just just have to dig a lot deeper now.

The only thing that holds you back now is employers do not just depend heavily on qualifications anymore, it is the experience that they are after. So just me getting my degree will be me over the first hurdle, it will be getting a company to take you on with little or no experience.

Just recently I have taken on more duties at work than my normal job to do with IT support, I hope this little bit of experience will help me down the road. As they say every little thing counts. :D

There are many companies that will take you on with little experience. Some have what they call an intern program, where they obtain individuals from the university as part of their training program. You do well and once you graduate you are almost guaranteed a job there.

A lot of companies like the 'freshly graduated' because they can acquire them cheaply, so to speak. You shouldn't discount yourself or your abilities.

I agree with OneMore, don't buy the hype. ;)

I am retraining in IT at the moment as well. I think there are plenty of opportunities if you look in the right places.

I live in a small town where IT jobs are very rare, so when my training has finished I will be forced to move to a metropolitan area. I don't mind doing this if it means getting a well paid job.

I do have another little goal, it may sound a little childish. I'm determined to knock Antiphrasis off the top of the posting leaderboard. Unless Tom gets there first. :D

I don't think equating money with happiness is necessarily shallow, money plays a large part in the happiness equation for most people.
There was a study once that actually concluded that money could actually by happiness, but only to a certain point. After you reach a certain level of financial well-being, money will no longer buy happiness. But, on the other ahnd, if you are poor and struggling, having money would actually provide some happiness.

I've heard people say that the richer you get the more frugal you become with your money, trying to save money wherever you can.

Or perhaps they were frugal in the first place which is why they still have it?

Or perhaps they were frugal in the first place which is why they still have it?
True.

I do have another little goal, it may sound a little childish. I'm determined to knock Antiphrasis off the top of the posting leaderboard. Unless Tom gets there first. :D

At the rate IAFPO is going, I'd say in the long run we are all doomed. :D

At the rate IAFPO is going, I'd say in the long run we are all doomed. :D
Well, in the long run, I think I'll slow down a bit. Since this is the first time I am here, there is so much to respond to. :D

But it's true, I do tend to be a post whore. :bouncy:

IAFPO has the same mumber of posts as me already.... I'd better get a move on.... :p

Is this our new "single goal" now? :p

Well, in the long run, I think I'll slow down a bit. Since this is the first time I am here, there is so much to respond to. :D

But it's true, I do tend to be a post whore. :bouncy:
Exactly what I do, the first week I'm normally on a new forum I tend to post a lot because new topics are being discussed, but I don't see that happening on here, a new member will always bring a new perspective to an existing discussion.

As there are countless numbers of methods you could use to be successful.:D

..... I realise that at at 30, I have started thinking about my job prospects a little late. Like Tom said, 30 is by no means too late to think about ones prospects. In fact, the only time it is too late is the day after you die!

the more money you have, the more money you spend.

otherwise we wouldn't have idiots like me driving unnecesarily expensive cars!

wealthy people do not not spend. what hell would the purpose of accumulation therefore be?

frugal people are the way they are due to a requirement to be that way. and if a frugal person becomes obscenly wealthy, their life long habits may be retained. or they could tip over the edge and become incredibly stupid and go the other way.

and the age of 30 in regards to starting late, well i think RWA, that most of us are late bloomers. i know that i certainly am.

at 42, i have 2 young children under 6, am many hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt (but i never really think about it), and i just know that life just goes on in the direction in which i focus.

i've said it before -

YOU GET WHAT YOU FOCUS ON.

YOU GET WHAT YOU FOCUS ON.

No doubt about it. Burn those words into your brain folks, because that's where it's at! :yup:

i better trade mark those words tom!

I tend not to accumulate money, my bank takes it away before I get chance to. :D

i better trade mark those words tom!




Good idea. :)

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Yeah, thats a great quote. :D

I tend not to accumulate money, my bank takes it away before I get chance to. :D



That happened to me once. ;)

find another way than the bank!

you must have other unexplored options?

i had to go bankrupt once many years ago, and we don't have the chapter 11 option out here i australia, so that was that. but time passed, life goes on, things do change.

YOU GET WHAT YOU FOCUS ON. :thumb: The Quality of Ones Life is in Direct Proportion to the Quality and Intensity of Ones Focus.



So ..... keep your Focus Pure, because Your FOCUS ultimately Creates Your DESTINY!


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Ok, I do actually have some goals for the new year, makes a change. However the goal of me continuing with my degree has disappeared into the distance, there were too many distractions around me at the time, so I decided to quit when I started to realise that I was getting too far behind on the one remaining course I was on, hopefully when I can afford to again, I will once more take up the degree again, it'll just take a lot longer than I first thought.

Ok less of that here are my goals for 2005.

1. Do so more courses at work and get away from the job I'm doing now, there are also personal reasons for doing this, but I don't think its fair to air my dirty laundry in a public forum, even though it might get it off my chest.

2. The obvious one is to try and reduce my debt, I count myself lucky that I'm not in as much debt as some people I know. My loan finishes in 2007 and I won't be getting another.

3. To enjoy life more and get out more, you don't have to spend money when you go out even if you just go for a walk for a couple of hours to clear your head.

I'll have more goals to share with you throughout the year and when they come into perspective I'll tell you about them, that is if I remember to visit on a more regular basis. :D