How long did it take you to work out what you wanted to be?

Harper_Milne · 15/07/11 - 22:33

So I was just wondering how long it took you people to decide what path and career you wanted to go down, and how old you were? And did it work it for you? Or were you one of those people who didn't have anything you were interested enough in persueing?

Watcher #1 · 15/07/11 - 22:42

Still haven't worked out what I want to be, and I've been doing broadly similar stuff for the last 12 years

*weeschmoo* · 15/07/11 - 22:43

I didn't really think about it, I just did whatever, I didn't want a career.

[Deleted User] · 15/07/11 - 22:47

Oh I always wanted to be an idiotic babbler on internet forums, I'm like a pig in mud.

Afterlife · 15/07/11 - 22:47

11 years being from birth to 11 years of age.

koantemplation · 15/07/11 - 22:48

I wanted to be alot of things when I was a child but it took me till I was 25 to realise I wanted to be a Philosopher.

luvuchloeflynn · 15/07/11 - 23:00

I realised at a young age that it didn't matter as long as it involved helping people and making them happy made me happy.

Pliny the Elder · 15/07/11 - 23:04

I worked out what I wanted to be in my early 20s and then promptly fell into a totally different career... I'm not one to plan things.

Pliny the Elder · 15/07/11 - 23:05

koantemplation wrote: »

I wanted to be alot of things when I was a child but it took me till I was 25 to realise I wanted to be a Philosopher.

A Fill-a-bottle officer?

Đirona · 15/07/11 - 23:09

i knew at 8 but got led astray then went down my own path again at 19

Azagoth · 15/07/11 - 23:11

Ever since my great-uncle took me to work for the day, aged 5. I knew from that day that I wanted to work with aircraft.

Harper_Milne · 15/07/11 - 23:14

So you guys were cool with not having anything that you really wanted to be?

U96 · 15/07/11 - 23:29

:cool:I love the words to Baz Luhrmans song 'Everybodys Free To Wear Sunscreen'.
There's a line that goes.''don't feel guilty if you don't know what to do with your life.The most interesting people i know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives;some of the most interesting 40 year olds i know still don't'.
I left school for an apprenticeship at 16.Hated it.I've had countless jobs ever since.30 years on, i'm in a job i just 'fell' into.It's not a bad living,and the best part is it's a good laugh.Lot to be said for that.
I'm a great believer in 'if you don't like it,move on'.Although that's becoming harder and harder to do these days.

luvuchloeflynn · 15/07/11 - 23:33

I was mate, I know it's a bit of a cliche but I just knew that whatever I was doing, if it makes even the tiniest bit of difference to someone's life who is less fortunate than myself then that's what my calling in life is.

[Deleted User] · 15/07/11 - 23:34

As a kid I always wanted to be an astronaut

However, I never really had a burning ambition for a particular career - as a teenager all my mates were wanting to be a vet/lawyer/teacher/whatever and I never really knew what I wanted to do.

Now at 23 and after landing a fantastic job completely by accident I have a vague idea of what I want to do as a career, and everything I do is working towards that. Saying that, I know life doesn't always work out the way you plan so I'm still pretty flexible.

i think having a specific goal/ambition in lift is a great thing, but personally I much prefer to have a rough idea and just go with the flow.

Nona · 15/07/11 - 23:36

I fell into my (now) chosen career at 19, and am still very happy with it 13 years on.

Mr Perks · 15/07/11 - 23:37

Jobwise, I lived most of my life knowing there was something else I would prefer to be doing, if only I knew what it was. I finally found it in my mid-forties, by an unsought for series of coincidences and and have happily worked at it ever since. Apart from work, I have long known what I wanted and am finally making a serious effort to get there.

Elanor · 16/07/11 - 13:25

I'm 38. I'm assuming I'll realise what I want at some point before I grow up.

iannai · 16/07/11 - 13:40

It's always good to have an ambition. The disappointment comes when you reach that goal and find out it wasn't all it's cracked up to be.

Hogzilla · 16/07/11 - 13:41

As a kid I wanted, more than anything, to be a writer. I also went through a phase of wanting to be a teacher. Did the teaching now do the writing. I can remember also really wanting to be an artist but sadly you need actual talent for that unlike writing and teaching so that will remain unfulfilled!

Odd thing is, I don't remember ever really believing I'd be either.

[Deleted User] · 16/07/11 - 13:52

Watcher #1 wrote: »

Still haven't worked out what I want to be, and I've been doing broadly similar stuff for the last 12 years

Me too except that I have been doing it for longer.;)

Shadow27 · 16/07/11 - 13:58

I saw a film on commercial artists when I was 15 and knew that was it. I'm lucky that it is what I do still today many many years later.

Midiboy · 16/07/11 - 14:04

I had too many options when I was younger as I was good at most academic subjects as well as art and music. I had no idea what I wanted to do, wasn't particularly ambitious and careers advice at our school was less than useless. I picked a degree at random (Accountancy) and gave it a shot.

Turns out I hated accountancy so I gave it up, tried a general science degree and having been exposed to various aspects of biological sciences, eventually discovered that I had an aptitude and interest in pharmacology. I'm still in the same field but it wasn't a planned career - it just happened organically. I sometimes wish I'd known what I wanted to do earlier as I could have reached this point earlier in life; however in doing so I would have missed out on the many other experiences I've had in getting here.

I suppose the point I'm trying to make is that it doesn't matter if you don't know exactly what you want to do. If you try various options open to you, you're bound to find something that feels right eventually.

alan29 · 16/07/11 - 14:23

Its only now that I have retired that i realise that this is what I was meant to be.

OLD HIPPY GUY · 16/07/11 - 14:27

Well, I just turned 58,, and I still haven't decided,........ Other that wanting to live forever,.............. so far, so good,

Hey there!

Quick Links

How long did it take you to work out what you wanted to be?

Comments