Since age 14 I have been adamant I will not wait until retirement to enjoy my life, or simply live for the weekends. Spending 8 hours a day doing something that is meaningless or unfulfilling was and is something I refuse to resign to for the long-term. I am still struggling to balance the need to earn money with the need to live a meaningful life.

Like many people, for me the need to earn some money is an unfortunate truth. I would love to not have to worry about money, but, unless I play the lottery, unearned wealth is not in my future.

The lottery question is a useful thought experiment that I have come back to many times over the years. The answer to the ‘What would you do if you won the lottery?’ question provides insight into how you want to live your life if freed from the burden of earning money.    

What would I do if I won the lottery?

I would continue with my PhD research, albeit from a tropic island paradise. I would probably travel a lot, but with time and money at my disposal I would make ecologically friendliness the main criteria. I could write that book. I believe I would continue to do some anthrozoological research and try and publish academic papers. For sure I would fund socially important and ethically conducted research projects. I would also establish scholarships for adults to return to education. I would finance animal sanctuaries and non-profits. My mansion would be home to many cats, and the grounds home to many ponies. I used to say I would have horses and compete in show-jumping competitions – a dream that has stayed with me from my teen years. Unfortunately, my anthrozoological training is a killjoy that has forced me to reconsider the ethics of using animals in sport (although this is an ongoing process that I am still working on).  

Where does this leave me?

My answer to the lottery question reveals a desire to support and encourage adult learners. If I was a billionaire I would provide opportunities. As a pauper I feel I could gain some personal meaning from a position that entailed encouraging and facilitating people to achieve their goals. This is a career I am seriously considering.

The research answer is more complex. I am curious and I do want to do research that informs society and helps animals in some way. However, my mussing reveals my inherent competitive nature. I cannot avoid the need to produce something that others thinks highly off and get it show-cased in peer-reviewed journals. And I think it is ok for me to indulge that side of me, so long as I do not lose sight of the bigger picture and stay clear of the academic swamp (I’ll write more on some day).   

The desire to help animals by preventing mistreatment or providing sanctuary to damaged or homeless animals is something that could be fulfilled by volunteering (something I am hoping to do soon). However, I also need to feed myself and the majority of roles in this field are unpaid. I am exploring career possibilities that entail working on policy change, or within various non-profits, but I have not seen a path for me in this respect.

Concrete career possibilities

1. Teaching/mentoring non-traditional university students, or adult pre-university students.  

2. Anthrozoology researcher (either as an independent academic or for a non-profit organisation dedicated to animal welfare).

I recognise that the second is a bit of a pipe dream, but I am refusing to let it go. My dream job would be permanent academic position with a university (it does not need to be something as grand as a professorship) but I would settle for a teaching position that allowed me to conduct some of my own research (ideally as part of the job, but otherwise in my free-time). I would also like to run an animal sanctuary if I could find a way to make it work.