Did You Know What You Wanted To Be When You Grew Up?

When you were a small child did know what you wanted to be?

My cousin and I spent every summer at our grannys, and early one summer our Granddad brought us a series of magazines he'd come across in a charity shop. They were one of those part-works that you collect week-on-week, to make a sort of encyclopedia of the subject, and they were all about aviation and aircraft. All that summer we pored over these magazines and played elaborate games where we were WW2 fighter pilots, or search and rescue helicopter pilots.

The cousin went on to become a military pilot. I considered a career as a commercial pilot but I went for a PPL and an expensive hobby instead. The thing is, while the summer of aviation magazines instilled in us both a love of aviation and a determination to fly, he knew from a very early age what he wanted to do and his whole life was geared towards that goal from about seven years old.

I didn't really know what I wanted to do until I was about 12 and even then I didn't have a name for it, and I am very happy to have pursued my own ambitions.

At what age did you know what you wanted to work at, and did you get there in the end? No need to be specific if you don't want to out yourself as a traffic warden or clamper

Barry Badrinath

I always wanted to either be Indiana Jones (Archaeologist) or a stunt man.

I'm neither

McGruber

McGruber wrote: »

I always wanted to either be Indiana Jones (Archaeologist) or a stunt man.

I'm neither

It's not too late McGruber!

Barry Badrinath

Candie wrote: »

It's not too late McGruber!

Waaaay too late!

I'm too stupid to be an Archaeologist and my body is too knackered to be a stunt man!

bee06

I wanted to be a secretary because I liked using a typewriter... I wasn't exactly an ambitious child! I now spend my day staring at excel spreadsheets.

The flying mouse

As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster. To me, being a gangster was better than being President of the United States. Even before I first wandered into the cabstand for an after-school job, I knew I wanted to be a part

My name is URL

Fire Engine

Oh so many different things!

When I was in Primary school I wanted to be a teacher. Heading in to secondary I wanted to be a social worker, then a psychologist, then a solicitor, then a psychologist After my degree I seriously considered pursuing a career in law.

Now I am doing exactly what I'm meant to be. Although I sometimes wonder about certain other professions I feel very lucky to have the one I do.

Stigura

I had a couple of lines of enquiry, from my very earliest. Basically trying to find the path to my ideal job / existence.

Bugger me if I'm not living it, right now! I've actually grown up to tick just about all the boxes I ever had.

LDN_Irish

I wanted to be a solicitor or barrister. A year of AS law cured me of my delusion.

Stigura

Stigura wrote: »

I had a couple of lines of enquiry, from my very earliest. Basically trying to find the path to my ideal job / existence.

Bugger me if I'm not living it, right now! I've actually grown up to tick just about all the boxes I ever had.

I love hearing about things working out for people exactly how they wanted.

Tasden

Always wanted to be in a job where I help people,- how I did that always changed, psychology/social work etc- I am now working helping people every day and love it more than I expected.

groucho marx

A dog

cantdecide

I wanted to be a musician and I tried very hard in my teens but I just didn't have the bus fare- the only thing I was able to turn up to 11 was the 'suck'.

I bumbled from job to job and got displaced by circumstances and the economy. The one thing that those years have taught me was that I'm stimulated by certain things such as variety, working on teams, developing relationships with people and problem solving and such rather than the subject matter being the focus. Knowing this, I've come up with a career plan that allows me to leverage my work experience, give me my problem solving fix and hopefully allow me to have a future.

*TL:ADTB I didn't know I wanted to work in procurement.












*too long and definitely too boring

Stigura

Candie wrote: »

I love hearing about things working out for people exactly how they wanted.

Far more luck than judgement, believe me!

cantdecide

Candie wrote: »

It's not too late McGruber!

McGruber wrote: »

Waaaay too late!

I'm too stupid to be an Archaeologist and my body is too knackered to be a stunt man!

Well actually when you put it like that

Lucyfur

I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

bodice ripper

I'm sorry, but didn't we all want to be palaeontologists?

Your Face

The Ultimate Warrior.

ASoberThought

I picked what I wanted to do at 10 and haven't changed my mind in 21 years

corner of hells

I wanted to be in D'army .... I'm a social care worker.

corner of hells

corner of hells wrote: »

I wanted to be in D'army .... I'm a social care worker.

I'd say the army looks cushier at least some of the time.

bodice ripper

bodice ripper wrote: »

I'm sorry, but didn't we all want to be palaeontologists?

The Jurassic Park Generation.

Ursus Horribilis

I wanted to be a teacher but luckily I got some sense when I became a teenager and realised that trying to teach a roomful of brats like me was not worth it.

finooola

bodice ripper wrote: »

I'm sorry, but didn't we all want to be palaeontologists?

Yes, or an artist. I'm glad I'm not an artist but sad I'm not a palaeontologist.

ASoberThought

ASoberThought wrote: »

I picked what I wanted to do at 10 and haven't changed my mind in 21 years

Same, I figured out what I wanted to do when I was 12 and I've never had a moments doubt about it.

Two Tone

To work in a supermarket on the checkout. :pac:

I was not a very imaginative child in terms of career dreams.

Two Tone

Two Tone wrote: »

To work in a supermarket on the checkout. :pac:

I was not a very imaginative child in terms of career dreams.

To be honest, my earlier career choices involved being a cooker/cleaner for my Granny, or alternatively a mummy/daddy minder, which I was sure was a thing.:)

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

I wanted to be a nurse. Pretty much my entire childhood.
It would never have worked out.
I was in oncology with my dad one day when another patient walked down the ward attached to a bag of blood and I was in a passed out heap on the floor. I don't think I'd have been a very good nurse

Turtyturd

Pilot when I was really young, but don't think I would have the nerve for it.

Went through secondary school wanting to be a comic artist but didn't have the patience so am happy to dabble in it as a hobby and impress the kids.

failinis

I wanted to be a doctor or a vet - but the education system and myself quickly worked out I was a very stupid child.

Settled to be an artist after I managed to accept that it was a "real job" that people can aspired to aged 12.

Two Tone

Candie wrote: »

To be honest, my earlier career choices involved being a cooker/cleaner for my Granny, or alternatively a mummy/daddy minder, which I was sure was a thing.:)

So cute!

After that, I assumed I would become a nurse or a teacher - a nurse, not because of knowing any more than the basics as to what it entailed, but because of family members nursing, so it was a familiarity thing. Ditto with teaching (a family full of teachers and nurses - not stereotypically Irish at all :pac:) although I was always making up songs and games and plays and stuff for younger cousins and neighbours, so that seemed like the makings of a primary school teacher... but I lost interest in both jobs later. Waaaaaay too much like hard work!

Would never have predicted what I ended up doing, and I muddled along until I fell into it - but it involves doing what I do best, and I love it.

Alf Veedersane

Professional Sega Mega Drive player in my teens.

In my leaving cert years, I thought I'd like to be a Sciencer.

Finished my final year studying to be a Sciencer, qualified and decided I didn't really want to be a Sciencer.

So did a Master's in a different area and 12 years later I'm still the job I got after that.

Tl;dr no idea what I wanted to be. Ever.

Two Tone

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Professional Sega Mega Drive player in my teens.

In my leaving cert years, I thought I'd like to be a Sciencer.

Finished my final year studying to be a Sciencer, qualified and decided I didn't really want to be a Sciencer.

Stop using the incorrect term dammit - it's "scientician"!

Alf Veedersane

Two Tone wrote: »

Stop using the incorrect term dammit - it's "scientician"!

Oh dear, no. That's only if you have a Diploma.

A degree means the 'er' suffix applies.

jimbobaloobob

Im not sure when ill finish growing up, haven't reached my target yet and not sure yet what i want to be.

Reminds me of the baz lerman song about most 40 year olds not knowing what they want to be. I'm not 40 but i fit the rest of the sentence.
Have had many many jobs along the way and loved the journey more than some of the jobs.

ToddyDoody

I remember someone putting down 'i want to be an accountant' in the sixth class year book at age 12. Bit scary i thought. I wanted to be on the radio i.e. famous but where you dont actually need to be popular.

Alf Veedersane

I'd venture the majority of jobs didn't exist in the consciousness of most people up to 16 anyway.

I know my job didn't. It's a strange one...it's evolved a lot since I started. So the title is the same but the job has changed hugely.

Candy_Girl

When do you grow up? :eek:

jimbobaloobob

Candy_Girl wrote: »

When do you grow up? :eek:

Exactly candy, when does the pressure start to have the job of your childhood.
Cowboys ain't around the west no more, and no one wants to hear me playing a harmonica around my campfire in Connemara.

Candy_Girl

jimbobaloobob wrote: »

Exactly candy, when does the pressure start to have the job of your childhood.
Cowboys ain't around the west no more, and no one wants to hear me playing a harmonica around my campfire in Connemara.

Oh you must be old :pac:

Alf Veedersane

Candy_Girl wrote: »

When do you grow up? :eek:

The day you die.

jimbobaloobob

Candy_Girl wrote: »

Oh you must be old :pac:

Age is a number but yea i aint getting younger. Candy girl do you remember those candy cigarrettes? I used to smoke them all the time out on the prairie.

Candy_Girl

jimbobaloobob wrote: »

Age is a number but yea i aint getting younger. Candy girl do you remember those candy cigarrettes? I used to smoke them all the time out on the prairie.

Yep...how bad was that ? :eek: Wouldn't have that now eh.

jimbobaloobob

Candy_Girl wrote: »

Yep...how bad was that ? :eek: Wouldn't have that now eh.

Tres bad alright, so when you grow up youll be Candy woman??

Candy_Girl

jimbobaloobob wrote: »

Tres bad alright, so when you grow up youll be Candy woman??

No I try to avoid it at all costs now

Grayson

I'm 41 years old and still have no idea.

jimbobaloobob

I would say even those doing what they said they would do when younger have found its changed from their childhood ideas of that job.

Always seems different as we get older.

Candy_Girl

jimbobaloobob wrote: »

I would say even those doing what they said they would do when younger have found its changed from their childhood ideas of that job.

Always seems different as we get older.

Well I wanted to be an archaeologist..lets just say that's ancient.

The Sidewards Man

McGruber wrote: »

I always wanted to either be Indiana Jones (Archaeologist) or a stunt man.

I'm neither

You're some man on a digger though.

KatW4

From about the age of 7, I wanted to be a teacher. I was an evil child, I made my sisters go to my school and gave them homework and everything. I didn't get the points in my leaving cert so I went to England to do it. I hated teaching in England and wanted to give it up but I moved home and I love my job. I really love it so much, I never want to leave it!

It makes me laugh when I ask the children in my class (Senior Infants) what they want to be. Rockstar is a popular one and I've heard teacher, bin man, astronaut, vet, doctor and a mammy!

One little boy in my class is dead set on his dog playing for Man United when the dog grows up.... hilarious!