What did you want to be when you grew up?

[maddythebeagle]

A millionaire industrialist...

 

[SLC Tortfeasor]

Oh how far I've fallen. I wanted to be an astronaut until, at about age 10, I learned that due to my bad eyes and lack of math skills, I'd never make it.

My next dream job was to be the POTUS. That lasted until college, when I realized that I hate campaigns and love my privacy.

So now I'm a lawyer. Still dream about being an astronaut though . . .

 

[laurence]

Jazz musician. Fell in love with Coltrain and Charlie Parker early, played it on my saxaphone earnestly (and poorly). I was o.k., I can carry a tune, but there came a point where the amount of dedication and passion it took just wasn't in me. I still put Giant Steps on once in a while and smile, though.

 

[eyeonFI]

In elementary school I wanted to be a lawyer. I don't remember why.

By high school I wanted to be a Professor. I didn't have any particualr field chosen, but the lifestyle appealed to me.

By the time I was finishing grad school and had a job as a professor, I wanted to be retired.

 

[MikeD]

My brother, when he finished law school, walked across the street to the med school which said they'd take him...... He almost did it. After I had been practicing law for five years, I almost did it.

My orthopedic surgeon (Naval acd grad but not 1st in his class) became a lawyer at age 60. He loves it. He only defends Drs.

Mike D.

 

[Outtahere]

I told DH about this thread and he reminded me about wanting to be a history teacher. I love history but in my 3rd year of HS I had the worst US History teacher in the whole city, he turned my dream into a nightmare.

 

[Kwirk]

Electrical engineer. Never had anything that I didn't want to take apart and rebuild. Collected all sorts of electrical cr*p to play with.

 

[Meadbh]

I wanted to be an artist or a writer until I realized that only ~2% of creative people can earn a living at it. Maybe in ER I will achieve my childhood dream!

 

[kat]

My orthopedic surgeon (Naval acd grad but not 1st in his class) became a lawyer at age 60. He loves it. He only defends Drs.

Mike D.

My brother represents doctors too, ones in trouble with the state of NY. He loves all the time he spends reading medical journals and texts so he can tell the other lawyers why his client did nothing wrong, or find and question experts better if he has to do that.

 

[savedapile]

wanted to be an artist but listened to my dad and became a nurse like my sisters. I still do a lot of art design type stuff through textiles though. I am designing a quilt now and my passion is slowly taking over my life. I doubt I could have made much of a living at it but I have been published in some magazines.

But one of my kids wanted to make video games and he figured it out and does it. We never thought he would do it but never discouraged him, as long as he got a college degree in something. I didn't want to be like my family was to me. Turned out he knew what he was talking about.

 

[Billy]

I wanted to be an artist or a writer until I realized that only ~2% of creative people can earn a living at it. Maybe in ER I will achieve my childhood dream!

This is why I enjoy financial independence. I have all the time I can muster to paint and daydream on these projects. Even now, with retirement I still run out of time!

I still do a lot of art design type stuff through textiles though. I am designing a quilt now and my passion is slowly taking over my life. I doubt I could have made much of a living at it but I have been published in some magazines.

Congratulations on being published in the magazines. I imagine that is pretty competitive. I love textile art. I paint fabrics and do mixed media assemblage. Peaceful. Let's my mind unravel and relax.

Be well,
Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement

 

[sheboyganite]

When I was a very little girl I wanted to be a nurse or ballerina. When I reached my teens I wanted to be an artist. By the time I had to decide what the heck I was going to do to make a living, I went into library science because I figured it would be OK until I figured out what I really wanted to do. (My dad was a librarian, and I had worked as a page during high school) I think, deep down, all I really wanted to do was be retired, i.e., stay at home and do the stuff I really like doing, like gardening and reading, cooking and knitting, maybe a little traveling. A few more months and that's what I'll be doing.

Sheboyganite

 

[Billy]

I guess we are pretty fortunate in this day and age to have a choice as to what we want to do for careers. Or at least to change them if we feel so inclined.

I didn't get that sort of feeling about, say, our Father's generation or their Father's generation. It was a matter of getting food on the table and raising the kids.

Dreams, if any survived, were relegated to after work hours, after maintenance was done, and after bills were paid.

It was hard for me to know what I wanted to do when I grew up because
1.) that dream kept changing
2.) I thought I had to decide what I wanted to do for the 'next 40 years' and that sort of deflated me.

I'm a very hard worker, and have been blessed with multiple talents. But the idea of 'doing the same thing' for 40 years was a real spirit killer for me.

Anyone else feel that way?

Be well,
Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement

 

[Sarah in SC]

It was hard for me to know what I wanted to do when I grew up because
1.) that dream kept changing
2.) I thought I had to decide what I wanted to do for the 'next 40 years' and that sort of deflated me.

I'm a very hard worker, and have been blessed with multiple talents. But the idea of 'doing the same thing' for 40 years was a real spirit killer for me.

Well Said, Akaisha! That is it on the nail! Thanks for identifying the how/why of this particular struggle. I've been serially employed since high school, but never at anything I'd say I would want to do for more than a few years! FIRE is the only occupation that I think would suit me, long term!
Sarah

 

[Billy]

Thanks, Sarah...

My Father had passion for his career and did it for 30 years (working for the family business), until at the ripe old age of 55, he moved to California and became self employed in a completely different capacity. I have great respect for my folks for being so adventurous and at that age in life.

However, I always had this idea that I 'should' have a straight-lined-focus on a career that I could throw myself into with unbridled passion... : (like my Dad) or else I was a 'flake'

Thing is, I DO throw myself into work, but I have many things I am passionate about. How could I possibly choose only one of them? That's like saying I could only eat vanilla ice cream for the rest of my life or only steak or something. I would feel like I'm in jail...

The other thing is... how does an 18-23 year old possibly know what he/she wants to do career-wise for the rest of their lives? Go to college, pay those college fees, and then get 'stuck' in the career they chose when they were a kid?

I admire it, but I couldn't do it. 8)

Be well,
Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement

 

[Donzo]

I always wanted to be an MD - thats why my BS is in biochemistry. After graduating college I decided to take a year off and "do" the USA on a motorcycle w/ friends. We ran out of money/gas in S.CA and got jobs. When I got my Pharma job - co. car, expense account, freedom....and was good at it.....the thought of 4 more years of school and many years till real money, as usual I took the easier path......as usual - I'm glad I did.

 

[uncledrz]

I wanted to be a pro football player. Not big enough, fast enough, tough enough, good enough.....ah, reality, but that was my dream.

 

[Billy]

I always wanted to be an MD - thats why my BS is in biochemistry. After graduating college I decided to take a year off and "do" the USA on a motorcycle w/ friends. We ran out of money/gas in S.CA and got jobs. When I got my Pharma job - co. car, expense account, freedom....and was good at it.....the thought of 4 more years of school and many years till real money, as usual I took the easier path......as usual - I'm glad I did.

There's a lot to be said for that approach, tho' Donzo...

I admire perseverance, commitment to a goal, busting through limitations set by life's circumstances, manifesting one's dream according to one's passion, etc.... on the other hand there is something to be said for 'flow' and being in it.

I have had experience with both manners in living my life. They each have different types of satisfactions.

I commend you! Honestly!

Be well,
Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement

 

[ScooterGuy]

Had not the slightest idea up to the end of high school (work counselor was a drunk). Then I studied to be a Experimental Psychologist, as a Behavioral Scientist, up to grad school (blew it when I flirted with the department head's mistress, and got recognized). Then I spend much time and $$ getting a Ph.D., so I could be an Experimental Speech Scientist. Did that one for 12 years, until the whole field imploded (talk to the Electrical Engineers, if you want to speak to your computer). Followed that with a small business in Information Search/Microcomputer Databases. Then a decade long 'dark age' (don't ask, it was awful). Finally ended up being a clinical Speech Pathologist for 15 years. Retired and FIREd 3 years ago, and now I couldn't tell you the difference between a vowel and a consonant, and don't care. Was able to fix things so that DW could retire, too, this year.

Rep.ro.bate
N.
A morally unprincipled person.
One who is predestined to damnation.
Adj.
Morally unprincipled; shameless.
Rejected by God and without hope of Salvation.
Syn.
Vicious; bad man; disapproved; sinner.

“If thee dost not approve of what I say or write,
Thou mayst go pound sand in a rat-hole!”

 

[polloloco]

When I was a little boy I wanted to be grown up.
Now that I am grown up I want to be a little boy.

 

[califdreamer]

Heard in a comedy act a few years back....

Why do you think adults are always asking kids what they want to be when they grow up? They're looking for ideas.

 

[Eagle43]

Why I remember exactly what I aspired to become, way back in the 50s:

I wanted to work in a windowless building, doing meaningless tasks, listening to mindless managers, spouting useless drivel about doing thankless tasks during endless meetings.

Afterwards, I wanted them to pay me for the rest of my life. So far, so good.

 

[REWahoo]

So far, so good.

 

[bright eyed]

i had no idea then and no idea now!

i enjoy my work, like the people i work with and it makes it all worth the while - but if you were asking if i were working in my dream career - i'd say - i don't know!

my 4 yr old daughter on the other hand, wants to be a zoologist...and asked the other day, what zoo should she work at? she thinks working (feeding, scooping scat! ) is an amazing opportunity! i'll give you an update in 20 years to see if she makes it...

 

[citrine]

I wanted to be a starving artist living the bohemian life in NYC......I still wonder how I ended up in Corporate America!
Today.....I am an artist, a writer, a sprouting garderner, and subsidize my hobbies by working as an Executive Assistant.
In the future, I would like to be a teacher/teacher's aide and spend my summer's gardening and hammocking away under the sun.