I have found that there are two types of people who are happy in their work. 1. Those that help others, like teachers and nurses. Their jobs can be stressful and not very financially rewarding. But they take satisfaction from seeing patients get healthy or students learn.
The other type are people who create things. If you are not of the first type I highly suggest that you find a career where you make things. Creating a software product definitely fits the bill for some people. But if you can't see what you are making because all you do is fix bugs, or work on small components, you might not get the job satisfaction you need. Seek out work that involves making things.
I agree. It's those two missions that I've found consistently compelling oer the 35 years I've been a pro. Both missions focus your attention away from distractions like climbing ladders to nowhere and the many subterfuges intended to that end.
Thus far, I've spent more effort on helping than hewing. But if I were to do it again I'd invest more effort in creating, either as part of my job or as an endeavor aside. There's something timeless and satisfying about immersing the self in invention and elbow grease.
Most nurses I know don’t particularly love their work and many are looking for a way out. It seems like a decent career in that it pays better than what else available to many people going into that career and the education is made more accessible thanks to incentives set up because of shortages.
I’ve lost my source, but teachers had the highest job satisfaction of any job in the US when surveyed at a random point in the middle of the day (they rated it lowly overall due to low pay, but during an average day at 2pm they were enjoying themselves)
The other type are people who create things. If you are not of the first type I highly suggest that you find a career where you make things. Creating a software product definitely fits the bill for some people. But if you can't see what you are making because all you do is fix bugs, or work on small components, you might not get the job satisfaction you need. Seek out work that involves making things.