Have I ever wondered if I made the right choice? Yup! Every December for the last twenty plus years as I'm burning off tax organizers for my clients! Then those feelings would always slowly subside as clients would thank me for doing a good job for them. Many new clients would come in each year simply because other people had told them that they could trust the work I did. Aside from the feeling I would get looking at the balance in my checking account at the end of each April, the knowledge that so many people put a big part of their annual finances in my hands was humbling.
It didn't start out that way. As a youngster, I had to be carried on the shirttails of the older guys who were already in that "zone" with their clients. Might be a lot like what KU_Bassmaster is experiencing right now. Building a solid book of clients took quite a few years, but I kept at it. There are so many options open to having the shingle of Accountant, Tax Man, or Financial Advisor that a person with the drive can make a good living in this trade.
Right now, you are at the halfway point in your college education. It reminds me of the old trick question about how far a person can walk INTO the woods. The answer is only halfway, because the rest of the walk is now going to take you OUT! You making it onto the honor roll tells me that you have the grey matter it takes to learn, but you need to pair that with the desire to do so. It's going to be the same thing when you finally enter the working part of your life in this field. While tax or finance law changes will always force you to cram a little more into the brain pan, it will be your drive that gets tested the most. The older you get, and as more clients start coming on board, it will get even more critical. I don't think a lot of younger folks understand this part of the job. It isn't like a lot of jobs where you simply punch a clock, or work in a large business where the guy next to you can take over while you're gone. When you have built up a working relationship with a client, they will expect you to always be there...... ALWAYS! So after all this rambling, I'll end up with some direct advice.
First, keep pounding away in the direction you're going, at least through the end of this coming spring. Take the time to consider whether you have the desire to finish the next two years you'll need after that to get your degree.
Second, maybe spend a little time researching what other degrees are sitting out there that would put you into a career that you'd be happy working for 30+ years. Scary thought huh? If I remember correctly, you have said before that your goal was to get into the financial side of this game we play. Is there another path you could take out of this forest you find yourself in? You really aren't too far along where a change in direction would throw you behind, and an accounting minor would still look good on a resume.
Finally, don't make a mistake of trying to force yourself into a career that you won't enjoy. While I'm just getting out of this rat race, I can say that for the most part it's been a really fun ride. There have been a number of times I've asked myself "what if". In the middle of the 1990's, I would wonder if maybe I should have just been happy with that GM factory job. This thought somehow always came up while I was doing the tax return of some 55 year old Generous Motors retiree. But today, I can look back at the last thirty some years and honestly say I wouldn't change much of it, even if I could have. That's because you'll find out that the goals you set today will change as you get older and learn what it takes to make your life meaningful. I hope when that day comes for you, that you'll be able to say the same thing. It doesn't matter what job or jobs you've worked at, only that in the end, only that you have tried to live up to the goals you set for yourself.
Good Luck Kid! I sort of wish I could be around to watch you take this crazy ride called life. Just don't run too fast towards that membership in the OFFC!
