When I Grow Up….

I would like to think that I’m not the only one who stares at the utter confusion of my future. 

Let’s try and put this a bit more simply….I mean, not really knowing what we want to be or do when we grow up….Please tell me I’m not the only one…? I’m sure there are many other ‘things’ that we still wonder about as to what really is going to happen when we grow up…but seriously, when and how do we know that one career is exactly what we want to do for the rest of our lives? And why exactly are we forced to make a decision right after high school!? (Or even before now-a-days)

In thinking back to when I was younger to now..I’m pretty sure I wanted to be a professional gymnast, a professional ice skater, a scientist, a teacher, and a lawyer. My how things change. I went to school completely undecided.  I ended up making my way to something that was very comfortable and graduating with a degree in Tourism, Leisure, & Event planning.

Many say this is my calling. Many say this is what I’m great at. And many have no idea that I really am not sure this is what I truly love to do. Just because we are good at something, doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s what we want to do…forever. 

And just what is forever? Who said we have to be stuck with the same job our entire lives? Okay, maybe we end up getting stuck with a job because it has great benefits, retirement, and all that good stuff? But really, being stuck with a job that we do not like…who wants that?

To those that do not know or are confused what your calling is…believe me you are not alone. I too have little to no idea what exactly I want to do when I ‘grow up’. (And yes, I’m 25 years old.) Many of you may call this young, and you’re probably exactly right, but I have graduated from college, gotten my degree, and should be off on my way…..but I’m not. I’m still pondering what exactly it is that I’m good at, that I love, that is rewarding, and that will be my best fit. 

If you are like me…please take some time, think, and try some of these helpful hints I found on about.com:
1.Make a list of 5-10 jobs that you’ve thought about. If you need more ideas, here’s a long list of different job opportunities.

2. Now organize the list, putting your favorites at the top. For your top three choices, list the positives and negatives. For example, if “veterinarian” is at the top of your list, a positive reason for choosing this field is that you love working with animals. On the negative side, it takes eight years of college to become a vet, and it’s not easy to get into vet school. Listing positives and negatives will help you start figuring out what’s important to you. For example, starting your own business is a big commitment. Is it more important to you to be your own boss, or would you rather have more time for your family?

3. Now that you’ve got your list, take some career tests. Compare the results to the list you made. If you find a match, it’s a good place to start digging deeper. Don’t worry if you get a result you don’t like at all. The tests aren’t perfect, and you can just cross off the jobs that have zero appeal to you.

4. Learn more about the job by doing some online research. Here are some places to find detailed job descriptions.

• What kind of training do you need to get the job?
• Does it require a college education? If it does, what kinds of classes would you need to take? Can you handle the courses?
• If the job doesn’t require a college degree, does it require specialty training? Are there programs in your area or would you have to move somewhere else? If you joined the military, could you get the specialized training you’d need for the job?
• How much does the job pay? If the answer is “not much”, is that important to you?
• Would you work regular hours?
• Does the job sound too stressful or too boring?

However, as we know things change. We find ourselves in situations we didn’t expect to be in. We find our brains and minds change. We find our wants and desires change. In general, people change and so does the job market over time. To those of you, like myself, that still aren’t sure what you want to be when you grow up, it’s okay…..

According to the article I found….”There’s a famous Chinese saying: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” If you follow all these recommendations, you still might not have found the answer to the question of what you want to be when you grow up, but you will have started the journey. And if someone asks you what you want to be, you can answer the question truthfully: “I’m exploring my options.”

Needless to say, I’m 25 years old, have a college degree, a bartender/server by day and night, a traveler for leisure activity & cultural experience, and spontaneously living the journey for ‘What I want to be when I grow up..’.

Although it can be so frustrating at times not knowing exactly what we want to do, I have high hopes for all of us, someday we will figure it out.

If any of you want to share how you figured out what you wanted to do when you grew up, when you figured it out, or any interesting stories/jobs, please do share!

“We Are Just Exploring Our Options…”