Although just about everyone seems convinced that their jobs are the most stressful in existence, most of them are just being whiners. Real stress comes from working for ruthless bosses and clients, toiling through countless, sleep-depriving hours, and in some cases, putting your life on the line.

CareerCast set out to identify the most stressful jobs of all, and came up with this list, which may deter you from contemplating career changes to these occupations:

* Enlisted soldier. From having their time micro-managed through daily training and grunt work to risking their necks on the front lines in months-long deployments, the job is taxing and brutal.

* Firefighter. Having to be constantly ready to suit up and head out on rescue endeavors, sometimes battling deadly blazes, takes its physical and mental toll.

* Pilot. The responsibility for the lives — let alone schedules — of hundreds of passengers per trip is a heavy burden to carry. Poor hours, layovers and jet lag contribute to the difficulty.

* Police officer. The public too often takes for granted their sole protection from nasty criminal elements. Officers place their lives on the line to deal with dangerous sociopaths.

* Event coordinator. Being taxed with the burden of managing moving pieces to make sure an event goes off without a hitch can keep you up at night. As an event approaches, things only get more difficult, forcing planners to work around the clock to ensure things go smoothly.

The 10 Most Stressful Jobs of 2012 [CareerCast via PR Daily]

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