Originally Posted by
RedOverWhite
Life, no matter, what you do, is real. That includes pilots, and even people who spend countless hours on internet forums.
Police officers in my mid-market city start at 21,000/yr, and it doesn't move up all that fast or to that much. Needless to say they are hurting for police officers.
Only the highest level doctors make the millions that people seem to think all doctors make. I have a close friend who is in family practice and he makes decent, but not great money. He works at patient first on weekends for extra money. My highest paid friends are all attorneys. I don't know any millionaire dentists, though I'm sure there are some that are cosmetic surgeons.
In short, do whatever inspires you; in the end, that's what will inspire others when they talk about you at your funeral.
If you "love yourself at all" you will do something that makes you happy, something that you will succeed at, something that works for you and your family, and something that you didn't need advice from an internet forum to figure out.
The doctor myth has been exposed many times here on this forum. Doctors do very well. Earlier this week the Seattle Times ran an article on hiring new city police officers and the starting pay for a high school graduate
without any experience was over $3000/mo and moves up sharply from there. My cousin is an average LA country deputy and earns over 120K. Most pilots have well over 100K invested in training and education before they can have an opportunity to earn over 20K.
Aviation doesnt offer what most would consider as a "real" life since in most cases provides low income and instability in trade for high costs of training, education and endless years of initial experience building.
It is false to assume that just because someone has a mundane sounding job that they are unhappy with it. A life of value takes sacrifice and a mature approach. We all have many different interests and abilities in life. Aviation most likely is only one option that most of us have.
Finding something you love and hope that the money finds you is great for selling self help books but does little in the real world.
Choose something you love but that also loves you back.
SkyHigh