What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?

Even as very young children, alot of emphasis is placed upon us to already have figured out what career we have chosen for ourselves. Most of us can recall well meaning relatives or friends  asking the important question of what we would like to become once we have grown up and become adults.

Ask a child and the response will often be a very wide variety of differing vocations because children have an extremely heightened imagination which fuels the passion. Some of the most popular childhood dreams include becoming a veterinary surgeon, a doctor, a film star or television actor, a well known musician, an airline pilot, a teacher or  a dancer. This is interesting because there is an element of admiration in all of these which gives the indication that not only do we want to do good for others or bring joy, we also want to be appreciated and respected also.

Early on in secondary education, well intentioned career advice is given and educational courses are chosen and tailored with the aim of preparing us for the job that we seem to know we want to do.

So, how many of us actually go on to become what we set out to be? Research shows that unfortunately it is only a very tiny percentage of people who fulfill their childhood dream and there are several reasons for this.

Unrealistic expectations. Sometimes the dream is just too unrealistic for it to happen or does not exist apart from in a child's mind. However, as an adult you could always write a book about it at a later date and  thus you have made it into your reality!

Many people give up on their dream due to peer pressure of wanting to be accepted and fit in _ this is especially true of when still in education.

Some people find that they were just not given any opportunity or encouragement which caused them to give up and settle for something totally different. Financial support may be required but is perhaps simply not available.

Motivation is another factor whether we lose the drive in ourselves or we discover that the dream job isn't all that we assumed it would be. Even forgetting what we once wanted to be - as we grow, our personality changes and so do our aspirations.

Our academic strengths and weaknesses may lead us on a totally different path than the one we once set out to take, especially as we learn of all the differing and alternative aspects to careers there are.

The good news is that many people are working in a similar field of employment and the small percentage of people who were successful in achieving their childhood dream is proof in itself  that dreams really can come true.

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