Stepping out of your comfort zone.

Hi everyone,

Just want peoples thoughts on stepping out of your comfort zone at work. Currently I work during the week as an apprentice plumber, but on the weekend I do work for my 'to-be' father in law operating a small dump truck - nice and laid back work. Now I have been working on the bobcat a bit lately when I have been given the chance (under logbook) in which apparently "I am a natural at" :rolleyes:.

The father in law runs quite a successful excavation business that does most of their work through the Railway, he is very well known and very good at what he does. Here comes the stepping out of my comfort zone part - he wants me to get my HR (Heavy Rigid) truck license, bobcat and excavator tickets so I can take over the business in a few years!

I know it might not sound like a big thing on paper, but what I get concerned about is how would or do I fill such big shoes!? Am I thinking about it too much? Should I just "Do it"? I love driving the machinery, no doubt about that - I just don't want to tarnish the reputation he has built...

Bit of a pointless thread but just needed to get my thoughts down into words.

Cheers,
Andrew.
 
finnish your time, this is so important to do, do your jeornyman, and get your ticket, you will have time for all of the other amazing oppertunitys in years to come, with the trade ticket you can get a buildrs licence, and develop your own propertys, with out it , you cant .
do your time.........if your a natrual, you will still have other chances,,:(
 
i'd agree with craig - finish what you start and then move on. get your plumbers ticket and bobcat ticket, and move onto the bigger trucks if you wish. i imagine you can do all three at the same time - or finish the bobcat ticket and then get the truck while still finishing your plumbers ticket.
 
Hi,

I will third that !!

A bobcat ticket can be had in a few weeks, they are very common.

A fully qualified plumber with official trade qualifications is a much tougher ask and consequently, as Craig points out is huge step to bigger things.

Your FIL may be a great bloke now, but if you and he have a falling out you will be out in the cold with a common old bobcat ticket.

If he gets unhappy about you doing the plumbers ticket then he is trying to control your life, a bad start to a lifelong relationship :(

He should in fact respect you for wanting to have a secure trade to provide for his daughter and any future grandchildren.

I would say to him that I like doing what you are doing but I believe I need more worldly experience so I will finish my plumbers ticket. This will allow me to learn how other businesses function plus I can learn how to work with other people.

When I come to your business full time I will get more respect if I am a qualified tradesman. I will still get my Bobcat and HR in the meantime, ready to go, but I want that piece of paper that says I am a plumber.

His other workers must respect you or you will never be a successful manager of his business and it is such a great opportunity he is offering that you don't want to stuff it up through inexperience, shake on it and leave it at that.
 
Like the others have said, finish the apprenticeship. Maybe get the tickets for the others at the same time (if you can).

This will give you the best of both worlds. You can still take on the Business (if it is still available for you), but also give you a fall back position. At the very least, you will also have the qualifications to do your own plumbing on your IP's.

Hubby has a trade. He's an electrician, and quite good at it, but really didn't enjoy it. He has done a multitude of other things over the years, but has always had that to fall back on. Of course it helps that most places that he worked for (as a sparky) were really impressed with both the standard of work and the work ethic, that they have willingly employed him again on a temporary basis while between jobs.
 
I'm with the others, get your plumbers ticket first, or at least stick with it and get the other tickets along the way.

I'd also suggest some sort of business/management course, because whilst you like playing with the machinery at your father in laws business, that doesn't mean you'd like to run his business, and the two could be worlds apart.
And then theirs the IP's you will collect along the way, never hurts to have a back up or two to fall apon in the harder times.
 
Andrew, is it possible to to achieve all the above, doesn't have to be done yesterday, pick them all off.

Work down your (interesting) list, and, btw, what do you want to do?
 
Tell Him You're Interested But You Need To Finish Your Plumbers Cert First.

Then You Can Branch Out - And You'll Be Doubly Qualified.
 
Firstly, thankyou to everyone for replying.

There is no doubt that I will finish my plumbing apprenticeship, I have worked hard at it and am over half way completed! Thanks for the information Craigb, I didn't realise that without a trade ticket you can't get your builders license - would like to delve into some property development a one point.

Your right Macca. I have to take the worst into consideration, if things went belly up between my partner and myself, then what happens. He isn't necessarily unhappy that I am doing the plumbing, he is quite supportive and interested in what we do - I think the problem is that his son had no motivation to take over his business and he doesn't want to sell it off. I've told him before that I am interested, but just not 100% sure.

Maybe, like suggested, I just get a couple of the tickets to increase my weekend pay. Work the weekends for another year or two and go from there.

our obsession said:
Andrew, is it possible to to achieve all the above, doesn't have to be done yesterday, pick them all off.

Work down your (interesting) list, and, btw, what do you want to do?

Time isn't a critical factor here I suppose, although for some reason I always feel like I am running out of it!

What do I want to do? No idea really - I have had many jobs and find that most times I can adapt to them...I suppose I just want a decent income to help support our investing while we are young.

Thankyou again for your replies.
 
I'm with the others, get your plumbers ticket first, or at least stick with it and get the other tickets along the way.

I'd also suggest some sort of business/management course, because whilst you like playing with the machinery at your father in laws business, that doesn't mean you'd like to run his business, and the two could be worlds apart.
And then theirs the IP's you will collect along the way, never hurts to have a back up or two to fall apon in the harder times.

Andrew,
This is a great point that schweedy has raised. FWIW, I was working in my own father's business, and enjoying it, and he had always thought "you'll take over one day, Son!" Well, turns out that running the business was not something I was ever interested in. I now work for a company that services the same industry that Dad's business was in, and I've had opportunity to travel all over Australia and internationally servicing many companies! I have had many, many opportunities and experiences that I would not otherwise have had.

Basically, do what YOU want to do. Think it through.

And getting a truck/bus license is very handy! So if you can get this, especially if someone else pays for it, go for it!
 
Hi everyone,

Just want peoples thoughts on stepping out of your comfort zone at work. Currently I work during the week as an apprentice plumber, but on the weekend I do work for my 'to-be' father in law operating a small dump truck - nice and laid back work. Now I have been working on the bobcat a bit lately when I have been given the chance (under logbook) in which apparently "I am a natural at" :rolleyes:.

The father in law runs quite a successful excavation business that does most of their work through the Railway, he is very well known and very good at what he does. Here comes the stepping out of my comfort zone part - he wants me to get my HR (Heavy Rigid) truck license, bobcat and excavator tickets so I can take over the business in a few years!

I know it might not sound like a big thing on paper, but what I get concerned about is how would or do I fill such big shoes!? Am I thinking about it too much? Should I just "Do it"? I love driving the machinery, no doubt about that - I just don't want to tarnish the reputation he has built...

Bit of a pointless thread but just needed to get my thoughts down into words.

Cheers,
Andrew.


I've had a number of career changes.

Why? I get bored, and some of the times when the changes occured were a combo of boredom and not enough income.

I've been a golf pro (for 30 years) but in and around this I've operated a B&B, done real estate (yuk), worked in an intensive care unit as a nurses' assistant for 3 years, moved to the US for 3 years so my wife could follow a dream.

Once you do it oncee, the next time is easier, and it gets easier to make the decision as you go.

My head would tell you to complete the plumbing apprenticeship, but my heart tellls me to tell you to follow the dream; the enjoyment and of course; the money.

If you can pull in good dollars operating a bobcat (and enjoying it) instead of crawling around under floors and in cramped roofs, then go for it.
 
Thanks Marc and you have done quite a few things!

What you are describing there is exactly how I have been in the past. I learn a job, I love it and then I get bored with it. There is no doubt that after my plumbing apprenticeship I probably will move onto another career - it's not something I want to do for the rest of my life, thats for sure.

So whether I like it or not, I will complete my plumbing apprenticeship. I've got to stick at it and only 1.5 years left to finish anyway! If I were to follow my heart then I don't know what I would end up doing - I have thought about doing something in finance before, I enjoy numbers and want to help people in some way.

Honestly, I would be pretty happy just to work a job that earnt myself 52k+ a year. I see that amount as enough to save for investments and still enjoy a few finer things like a nice car :). Might be a different story when we have kids but hopefully some of our investments will be +ve geared by then...
 
My Hubby is a bit like Marc and gets bored easily too. Having his trade has worked great for him in times of need, and he enjoys it for a couple of weeks (when he has had to go back) but really is not cut out for it long term. He does all the stuff at home and on the IP's which is handy.

Over the years he has been an Electrician, rising up to Foreman, then we were self employed in a couple of totally different businesses. One a skating rink and the other doing graphic design. Then he moved onto Facilities Management, now Project Management. He is bored at the moment and wants a new challenge. Who knows what it will be. Maybe a change of Client at the existing Company or a change of Company altogether.
 
It's been a while since I first posted this but I got talking to the to-be father in law and he agreed that he is happy to pay for my tickets (Bobcat, Excavator and HR License). Totalling probably just over $2,000. Pretty happy about that because things are pretty tight at the moment - another reason I have probably built up some motivation to get these tickets, finally.

I really think I just need to push myself to get out there and do what needs to be done. Too much procastanating and no enough doing. You sit there long enough thinking about it and you find you start to convince yourself that you won't be capable of doing it! Probably alot like Property Investing. Procastanating has become my worst enemy! Any ideas how to kill it off? Stop Thinking? :rolleyes:
 
Hi Andrew,

Just work out a reasonable plan of attack, give yourself 6 months to get this license, 1 year to get that license etc.

Goals accomplished without any pressure allow you to enjoy life and a good relationship with others while still progressing in your career.
 
You can't do everything all at he same time, though many of us keep trying lol.
Just do things at your own pace, and enjoy what you do.
Sure you need to "motivate" yourself now and again, but live your life as well.
A couple K's is peanuts in the scheme of things, and so is another year to finish your apprenticeship.
Finish your apprenticeship
Did I hear an echo?
Finish your apprenticeship
I'm also in the club with those who've done many things to earn a $ or two, but this is is over many years, changing paths every couple years because the grass seems greener can be very counter productive.
 
Well I decided to bite the bullet while I had a week off and go for my tickets.

As of today, I can now drive a skid steer and excavator! Got my tickets and very happy, passed with flying colours. For me it's a very big thing - next on the list...but not for a while, HR license.

Woo!
 
1.5 years is a long time before you finish the plumbing thing. :(

I'm like some others, get bored, thus 3 unfininshed uni degrees & one completed Cert 4 (done in work time & paid for by them heh heh).

Another poster said their head was saying finish the plumbing, but their heart was saying something different...I'm with them. Logically, it's best to have a trade, degree blah blah blah, but, not wanting to be morbid here, what if the grim reaper pulls your number from the barrel o life-lotto in the next few weeks...would you rather die driving heavy vehicles or plumbing? (I guess the answer should include the option of 'in the arms of your loved one/s' but for the purpose of this exercise, it's limited to just these 2 options.)

Sometimes, you gotta know when to cut & run. I say go with your heart every time. When I've followed my head, it's just depayed me from eventually following my heart anyway.

Good luck :)
 
Well I decided to bite the bullet while I had a week off and go for my tickets.

As of today, I can now drive a skid steer and excavator! Got my tickets and very happy, passed with flying colours. For me it's a very big thing - next on the list...but not for a while, HR license.

Woo!

Oh, already posted before I saw you'd done this!

You sound very excited & revved up in the best way! Your enthusiasm definately comes through in your writing!

good on you for getting the tix, imagine how excited you'll be when you can drive the b-doubles! Does plumbing really compare anymore? Sometimes what once excited us no longer does, so why pursue it? (Can hear the chorus of disapproval now!....)

Just my thoughts, not egging you to go one way or the other :D but i really do hear the passion in your words when you write about the skid steer & excavator....maybe you've finally found your calling :D ?
 
I'm like some others, get bored, thus 3 unfininshed uni degrees & one completed Cert 4 (done in work time & paid for by them heh heh).

Sometimes, you gotta know when to cut & run. I say go with your heart every time. When I've followed my head, it's just depayed me from eventually following my heart anyway.
Good luck :)

But some people cut & run all the time achieving little or achieving much less than otherwise.
It's not a matter of head or heart, but motivation.
 
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