What do you want to be when you grow up?
A few times a year I begin to feel weighed down and full of doubt. I wonder what I could have been, where I could have gone, what I should have done.
Don’t get me wrong, I like my job and most of the time I enjoy my work. The pay is good, I’m not always crazy busy, my boss and my coworkers are fun to be around. But I don’t love my job, I’m not passionate about what I do, I don’t wake up every day excited to get to work. I could stay here for 40, 50 years, many people do, but I don’t want to, I want something else.
The problem…I don’t know what that something else is. I’ve considered many possibilities, but I haven’t been able to pin down what would make me truly happy. I’ve taken my hobby, turned it into a career and now I no longer really enjoy building websites. I started a non-profit feminist group, but got burned out after three and a half years.
I’ve always wanted to open a bar/music venue where I’d employ all my friends, but I wouldn’t have any idea where to even start. (Though I suppose I could just use the power of thought and the universe would make it happen)
What do you want to be when you grow up?
I also feel like I somehow missed summer. The weather only hit 90 once I think and I could see my breath when I let Slayer out last night. I didn’t go camping or to a BBQ. I didn’t visit the beach or Cedar Point. My beautiful new deck wasn’t used even once by more than me and a book. I spent a lot of time at the bar, which was fun, but not very summery. I need more time for ice cream and bike rides.
Comments (9)
i feel the same way. i like what i do but i know i can’t/won’t stay in this position forever. it’s hard trying to find the balance between hobbies and work. and summer? what is that ;)
I totally get how you feel. It’s tough because I think once a hobby/passion becomes your day job, it loses some of its luster.
I also agree with not having much of a summer. We had one heatwave here in seattle and then it cooled down. Not that I really mind, because the heatwave was so sweaty and uncomfy, but still.
I was thinking the same thing the other day since my sister is a junior in high school and struggling with what she wants to be when she grows up. It frustrates me because she’s not taking it seriously and probably because I wish I could go back in time and really think about what I want to do or gain skills to make it easier on me now.
Sometimes I just wish I had money growing on trees and could just go see the world and do everything and not work. :P
I know how you feel. Except I KNOW what I want to be when I grow-up, it’s just exhausting trying to egt there. I still live at home, and work a part time job that doesn’t pay enough for me to live very well on my own. I have a degree in Business, but I want to be an actress, which is why i am 26 and nowhere near a career path. It’s very frustrating at times, but acting is the only thing I can see myself doing for the rest of my life, and if I get a desk job or a regular 9 to 5 I will be miserable! Uggghh, very frustrating!
I can relate. I have been on unemployment since May and have been giving this a lot of thought. I’ve been looking for some Marketing classes that I can afford and plan to check out the No Worker Left Behind program this week. I saw Public Relations Specialist on their list and feel really excited about it but I’ve heard a lot of not so good things about the program. I’ll have to just see for myself.
But, my advice is to give it a lot of thought and go for it, what ever it is, while you are young.
I’m 39, married with kids, it’s not as easy to make big changes for me now.
I know the feeling. I’d like to open a music venue myself, one day! hehe. But in the near future, I’m working on making some of my other dreams come true and it’s exciting. We only get one life…best wishes!
p.s. Cute pic.
I’m in the exact. same. boat. In fact, I have a “development discussion” with my boss on Wednesday about this very thing. While I think I want to stay in my career field, she seems to think I’m just doing it out of habit and that I need to find my passion. Problem is? For me, passions change, which sounds a bit like what you’ve gone through as well. So I’m left with the same unanswered question — what would make me truly happy? Would anything?
I’m in the same boat as you as far as jobs are concerned. Good pay, good coworkers/bosses, I’m not always crazy busy, but it’s not what I’m passionate about.
When I grow up, I want to be a Speech-Language Pathologist. Right now it’s a sore subject because it feels like an unattainable goal, and I’m fortunate enough to have found a job within my field of study that some would call a career. I’m hoping I’ll get there eventually, but who knows. If I can’t do that, I would like to continue doing what I’m doing and work to promote literacy within my community. I’ve been thinking a lot about volunteering with the local libraries for a bit and then maybe creating something of my own.
Also, I feel like I’ve missed summer too :(
sillygrrl Reply:
September 1st, 2009 at 2:33 pm
ashley – it’s great that you know what your passion is. i think that’s the first step in getting into the right career. i like your idea to volunteer. it’s amazing how many people are unable to read. i’m sure lots of people would appreciate your help.
super girl – yep, same boat. i’m always working on something different. i think that is what makes me happy – working on a million projects, organizing, planning – but how that becomes a career, i have no idea.
karen – thanks! same to you!
jenn – sometimes losing a job is the push you need to figure out what your passion is. good luck – i know finding a job in mi right now isn’t such an easy task.
gen – keep going! if acting is what makes you truly happy then you owe it to yourself to pursue it to the fullest. and just because you aren’t acting full-time doesn’t mean you aren’t already on the path to a career.