When we were all much younger we all had dreams about what we wanted to do when we were older - its often the case it never really pans out that way.
When I was about 6 years old i wanted to be a weatherman! Why? Because back in the day the weatherman stuck magnetic symbols of the weather on a map (anyone remember this before computers? i remember the thunder one the most)....I thought he actually made the decision as to who got what weather.- and i thought that was a great power to have and one i fully intended on abusing. My excuse was I was 6 at the time, of course, now i'm fast approaching 40 and still wish I'd met Hendrix, Clapton (in his Cream days), Che, and Bruce Lee.
So, if you had your time over again, and we all lived in an ideal world where we are all blessed with the talent required, what would your ideal job / profession be?
From when I was little to when I was a teen I wanted to be a Pathologist(too much Quincy probably). But a careers adviser said I was too sensitive. I believed her and kind of lost my way after that.
But in a way that was good. I had a rip roaring time through the rest of my teens and twenties... I have some great memories
I wrote a lot down in a novel that the few who have read it have stayed up all night & day to read and then said - 'you are going to change the names aren't you'
Early Thirties weren't so good. Least said the better. But since then I have been really happy. And it is only now, at 40, that I have a good idea of what I'd do if money, talent and time were on my side.
Believe it or not, Dog Behaviourist.
But I couldn't trade a single hour of the last 40 years (except maybe the two hours spent watching 'Give My Regards to Broadstreet' - have never forgiven Paul McCartney) as I wouldn't be me.
I'm still waiting to work out what I want to be when I grow up. Maybe I will find out before my 50th birthday.
I'm virtually retired before coming to a conclusion!
I wanted to be an archaeologist and ended up an historian. I guess as goals go, it's not too far off the mark!
I didn't ever have a particular career in mind or idea of where I wanted my life to go.
I've only ever had weird and obscure ambitions in life. The last of which was fulfilled in 2003 when I called Simon Mayo "Simon Saladcream" to his face. I've been drifting goalless ever since.
I apparently announced at the age of 4 I wanted to be Father Christmas, so I would only have to work one day a year. I achieved the latter bit :(
I always wanted to be a fighter pilot, but lost interest when I realised how dull the Tornado and Jag were compared to the USAF kit. Then when I left school I had no idea so I tried to join the Army, but because I wore glasses I couldn't be a tank driver/gunner, mechanic, Army Air Corp pilot...so I gave that up and fell into engineering.
Now I'd love to be a military historian, or possibly dig up fossils.
Hopes and ambitions are major causes of pointless self-inflicted misery and best avoided. Just go with the flow!
I do remember some desire to be a politician in my teenage years. God knows why, I hate the whole thing now.
I just wanted to play jazz... but all the work that came my way was bloody rock and roll and pop...
When I was 6/7 my future was already planned. Without doubt I would marry Sarah, the girl next door, just as soon as we were old enough, and I would build tanks and guns at Vickers Armstrongs like my dad. Of course I didn't marry Sarah, she was and remains the sister I never had. On the occupation front, my early and thankfully brief experiences with metalwork and woodwork at secondary school quickly killed off any thoughts of my building tanks or anything else; I couldn't even build a book-case that didn't rock. Instead I concentrated on the subjects I found easiest - maths and physics - and I ended up teaching both. Ironically perhaps, some of the pupils I taught in my last school did go on to build tanks and guns at Vickers Armstrongs.
What do I think now of my early plans? Marrying Sarah? Well I wouldn't change my lovely wife for the world, but I could have done a lot worse than Sarah. We met up last year for the first time in decades and we still got on like a house on fire. But building tanks and guns - no way! Considering where some of the tanks and guns from Vickers ended up, my conscience would have soon forced me out of that particular occupation.
Harry's notion that "Hopes and ambitions are major causes of pointless self-inflicted misery" may well be true for adults, but for young children I think that such things encourage imagination and enthusiasm and can only be good for developing minds.
What a lovely post brian
I agree hopes and ambition are great for kids. As much as my dreams were blown out of the water they encouraged study until then. And I could never take away Youngest Son's ambitions - to be a Zoo Keeper. I'm not going to spoil things by telling him it is rubbish money for a LOT of hard work!!! Though I might continue to encourage the Zoology Degree route!! He's only just turned 8
And I don't think hopes and ambition are necessarily bad for adults. As long as there is an element of realism, aiming for a goal can push a person on.
What I don't like is teenage girls aspiring to be like Jordan/Katie Price or wanting fame for fame's sake. That way indeed lies misery.
To be honest, I never really wanted to DO anything. I would have rather liked to be one of those younger sons who sits around indulging himself at his rich family's expense (I blame my public school education for a lot of this nonsense). But unfrotunately, my family were not rich (or not that rich anyway) and I had to go into the family business and become a solicitor.
After some gruelling times recently I would like to get out, but with a wife, 3 kids and a pretty big mortgage to support, it just ain't that easy. But if I had to choose an ideal job I would love to own a small plane and just fly passengers and cargo around the wilds of Canada or some other wild open country.
When I was little I decided I'd run away to join the circus.
I'm still running. But one of these decades I'll catch up.
Which particular job in the circus.Originally Posted by Lord Muck oGentry
Clown (which you have achieved in many ways)
Lion Tamer
Trapeze artist
Contortionist (this can come in handy)
Bearded lady (Half way there)
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