wand3er3er

The one thing that I have been struggling with is knowing whether a new career would be something I would enjoy or merely something I "think" I like. I know that the only way to really know for sure is to experience the field and so far I have been looking around for part time work or volunteer opportunities in my areas interest but it is difficult to do while also keeping up my research. After my experience in Grad school I am paranoid about being able to discern a good career since I thought I was really excited about my field when I started and now can't stand it.

So I am just finishing my fourth year in graduate school and academically things are going well. I am finished with classes and I have a research project that is slowly coming along. The problem I just don't feel the desire to do this research anymore. If it was only going to be a few more months I know I could tough it out but the way my field works I only get data to further my thesis once or twice a year so my advisor is projecting that if things go well I will be finished in two more years. Of course after that it is time for a post-doc which is another two years and then hopefully a full position after that. I am actually lucky as far as grad students go in that I get to work fairly normal hours and my advisor is good to work with. The field just doesn't excite me anymore and every day is a struggle to get to work. ( I should note that the disinterest is only in the research, I do not have this issue in other parts of my life). I go to conferences and I struggle to find talks or posters that even remotely catch my interest. I read papers but the only ones that remotely keep my interest are those that can keep my research moving forward. I think the problem is that although I know intellectually that research should be done for the sake expanding knowledge, it bothers me that there really is not an application to my work. The whole concept of publishing for the sake of publishing seems wrong and it just seems like a lot of work is done to stroke the ego. Looking ahead at life after grad school I just don't know if I could keep this up for a career. I know I am looking at things very negatively and the more I think like this the worse things look. I am trying to look at my options objectively but I know with my current mindset I am leaning heavily toward getting out and the more I think of getting out the more my productivity slips. I am trying to take a step back and see things from a neutral position but have so far failed to do so. I would definitely love to get some advice from others. Thanks!!