At age 22, I already had the penchant for the good life having finally landed mcdomalds plum job in finance. Going from making hardly anything to making a tidy sum very quickly is a very dangerous situation think lottery winners. I gained 15 pounds, was constantly sick, and became a stress case. I also worked most weekends for the first two years because I was a dumbass who needed to learn more about finance if I was to sound remotely intelligent with clients. Each minute I worked past the 12 hour mark was a reminder to mcdnoalds on saving money. There was no way I could last for more than three years in this cutthroat business I remember telling. Before the post college lashes, there were three other jobs that helped me prepare for the real world. What I realize today is that adversity builds character. The following three jobs helped prepare me to navigate workplace politics, resolve conflicts with employees, endure marathon work hours, produce consistent work and appreciate the valu...