Ok, before current truck drivers start hounding me about the title of this blog, let me preface. Truck driving is very demanding and difficult. It is one of the biggest mental challenges I’ve ever gone through. From learning how to drive a truck, to dealing with uncooperative customers, to the irregular hours, and the time spent away from home. There is nothing simple about this job, and it takes a very unique individual to succeed out here. It’s a jungle.
So if that’s the case, why did I use such a title? I’ll explain. Before I started driving a truck, I had a typical 9 to 5 office job as an Account Manager for a major IT company. As a young sales professional, I had dreams of making the big bucks. There is a lot of money to be had in sales if you’re good at it. The visions of big screen TV’s (with a surround sound system of course), a large house, and fast cars raced through my head. There were a lot of things I wanted out of life, and mostly it was material things. That was then, and this is now.
Being a truck driver really forces you to simplify your life. Driving is what truck drivers love to do. It’s a passion for many of us. For the OTR driver, we spend more time in our truck than we do at our home, yet somehow we also love our lifestyle. So we try to make our truck home. But due to us moving around all the time and the limited space, we must live in simplified conditions. I went from having a large screen TV with over 200 channels, to my little 13 inch TV, where sometimes I don’t get any channels at all. I went from a 2 story house, to a living area smaller than most jail cells. The thoughts of fast cars, surround sound systems, and big houses has quickly left my thought process. And the strange thing is, I couldn’t be happier.
Out the windshield in Nevada – peaceful as can be
I believe one of the problems in America today is that everyone is so wrapped up in material things, that we sometimes forget to just sit back and enjoy what we do have. This current economy is certainly changing that mindset, but I think that will help our country in the long term. For so long, we’ve had it so easy here in the US. We could pretty much buy whatever we wanted, when we wanted. And even if we couldn’t afford it, we could put it on a credit card. Oh how things have changed.
For me, it’s been an especially big change living in this tiny truck. Before driving, I didn’t really enjoy my job, but I did it anyway for the money. I figured if I could buy this or have that and save up for this other thing, I’d be a happier person in the end. But as I started researching a new career and stumbled upon truck driving, my mindset began to change. What if I could have a lower paying job, but actually enjoy what I do? I certainly won’t ever be able to afford fast cars and big houses being a truck driver, but I’ve come to realize that doesn’t really matter to me anymore. I love my life just the way it is, and instead of wanting more things, I find myself just enjoying what I have. The freedom of the road, the simpleness of living in my truck, and the lack of desire to want more things. I feel I’ve reached a point in my life that people strive for all their lives…perfect contentness. I’m totally content with what I have, even if it isn’t a lot. I don’t need more, more, more. I have goals in life and still have a lot to live and look forward to, but that no longer includes a Corvette.
Truck driving is not a career for those who need material things in their lives. The money in truck driving isn’t bad, but it won’t ever make you rich enough to buy fancy toys. Not to mention the lack of space we have in these trucks for material things. And if you do buy something, like a boat or a nice car that you leave back home, you are rarely there to enjoy it. So why bother?
The fact of the matter is, truck driving is something you should do because you want to do it. Not because it’ll get you material things. This job will force you to lead a simpler life. I easily put in more than twice the working hours per week driving a truck than I put in my last job, but it doesn’t feel that way. Why? Because I really enjoy what I’m doing. There’s a question you must ask yourself. Do you want to live to work or work to live? When I was in my last job, I wanted to work to live. I wanted to put in my 40hrs per week, then go out and have fun on the nights and weekends while saving up to buy fancy things I could enjoy. But now, I live to work. I don’t need fancy things. Because what I really enjoy most out of life….is working. In fact, when I wake up and I can’t drive yet because of my hours being regulated by the Department of Transportation, it’s very aggravating. I want to work now, I don’t want to wait!
So, if you want to simplify your life, truck driving might be a good route to go. Be prepared for a challenge as far as the “job” goes, but also be prepared to simplify your personal life. If you end up enjoying truck driving as much as I do, those material things won’t matter to you anymore. It’s a unique feeling to love your job and the lifestyle that comes with it. If you plan on being a truck driver, forget about the money, the big house, and the fancy cars. Enjoy your job, enjoy your life, and live within your means. You’ll be a happier person overall because of it. At least, that’s been the case for me.
Until next time, drive safely!
TruckerMike
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I completely agree with everything here. In our culture we’re taught that you have to pursue happiness and if you’re not happy, then something is missing from your life. I’ve found that it’s the complete opposite.
In a very simple existence, we are naturally happy. To paraphrase a saying I’ve known, “The mind is like water – if you do not disturb it, it will remain calm”.
We tend to clutter our lives with people, goals, and activities – far too many of each. It’s not that you shouldn’t have any, it’s just that you should be very selective, and try to keep your life simple.
The analogy of the mind being like water is a common one – and incredibly insightful. When you throw a pebble into a still pond, the water reacts appropriately to the force put upon it – no more, and no less – and once the disturbance has subsided, it soon returns to its natural state of calm.
Handling your everyday life this way will keep you balanced, relaxed, and clear-minded when most people will be flustered, disturbed, and stressed. Keep in mind the “mind like water” analogy and do not overreact to the disturbances in everyday life.
Interestingly enough, this applies to driving safely. Do not overreact to the disturbances around you. Remain calm, look far ahead of where you are, and react appropriately to the disturbances in traffic. Overreacting causes far more accidents than under-reacting does. In fact, overreacting to a small disturbance on the highway causes a lot of accidents that wouldn’t have happened otherwise.
Keep your mind clear and still as much as possible. Keep your life as simple as possible. Keep your driving as simple as possible. React appropriately to the disturbances – including traffic, weather, dock workers, dispatchers, and breakdowns, and watch how much more at peace you will become almost immediately upon focusing on this way of being.
- “Buddha” Brett
In the spirit of what has already been written by TruckerMike and Brett I will add this little gem.
“Be content with what you have, rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” ~Lao Tzu
-ike
Yes!! Thanks TruckerMike, You said the same thing that the wife and I FEEL right now, we have a house and a bassboat both for sale as we speak. We want to get out the rut we are in and get out and live life!! Just the two of us. It won’t be easy and I’m sure sometimes it won’t be fun, But I believe we can make it work, Life is about livin PERIOD. Angie and I can’t wait to start a new life together on the road. Thank you.