Both of my kids are doing online school right now. It’s really exciting as can be seen in the cat’s reaction below as it watches the little one.

The next rule in our sequence is to pick a first job with a steep learning curve and lots of training (over a similar position with prestige). The world has taught us over and over again to pick the job that brings the best income, but as the wise among us known, money isn’t everything.

My first job with payroll taxes was a one day sale at a local hardware store. I must admit it was a dead end job if there ever was one. Eight hours later it was over and I hardly ever remember it. I must have learned a lot though as it was years before I ever had to stare at a check with payroll taxes taken out again. 

My first paying job after college classes were over was my first contract job and ended with my first 1099. It was a long while later that I learned what the difference between pay now or pay later meant with payroll taxes. This was actually what I consider my last non-career position and kept me busy waiting for my first real job to start.

Interestingly enough, my first thought today when reading the rule was that my friend Joe 3.0 is still employed at his first job out of college. He got a scholarship in college from his eventual employer and he has been there ever since. At the time, I was happy for him, but felt odd that I never got to apply. Whatever scholarship I had completely eliminated me from any other opportunities. He ended up with a job and I ended up short of money to finish school without going into debt. I am still happy for him and for me as my path is where I was meant to tread.

Actually, my wife is still employed at her first job and will most likely retire from it at some point in the distant future. Working for her dad didn’t have much prestige I imagine, but it sure had a steep learning curve and set her up for success. 

I was contemplating first jobs in the Bible and King David was first to pop to mind. He started as a shepard for his family’s flock and was rewarded by having to fight lions and bears. I then thought of Saul, the king. I have no idea what his first job was, but it might have been king. He was selected because he was tall. Maybe not the best process possible, but it certainly set up the Jews to be ruled by David and Solomon. Solomon was certain to be king if he lived long enough, so maybe being king was his first job as well. Joseph certainly had a long varied path from slave to running the largest government in the world. 

My path to being an offshore structural engineer was not one based on a detailed plan drafted and followed, but I once used my path to encourage a younger engineer to be open to the hard path with learning opportunities over the short term paycheck. I’ve kept up with him some, but I often wonder if he really wanted to be like me and how his plan is working.

So how can I intertwine this rule of looking for learning with my guidance of follow God’s will for your life? I interpret the rule to be “Don’t avoid hard work.” and I view finding a job as seeking the path to best glorify God. Getting a degree from Harvard and getting a job at a super large hedge fund seem like the “excellence” alluded to in the book, but it seems a little more abstract to figure out your God given talents and how He is calling you to use them. .

Getting an engineering undergraduate degree, a masters degree (or MBA), and a law degree may be the path for Big D as it was the path for my friend who took the hard road to school in the cold north of Boston while I stayed in Texas. little d may fall in love with music and follow her guitar to a PhD in music and a Rush-like band, or maybe no PhD and a band I got to see at least once like another friend of mine did. (and yes, I did play a Rush song for little d as soon as she got her guitar.)

Anyway, the concept of picking a job that makes you learn is just a small part of choosing what to do next, but it can have a huge impact on where you end up. So don’t be afraid to learn, don’t be afraid to work hard, don’t be afraid to be challenged, and don’t be afraid to follow God where ever He calls.