Do you remember the dreams you had when you were a kid?
Not the “ride a purple unicorn to Mars and live among the Little Red Men” dreams (not that there’s anything wrong with that). I mean the dreams about what you’d work at when you grew up…or at least, when you got older 
I’ve been thinking about my early ideas of what I wanted to do and my most recent ideas for a worklife, too.
If I show you mine, will you show me yours?
Here’s what I wanted to do for work as a 7 or 8 year old up to a (somewhat) wiser woman of almost 40, in order of occurrence, not preference—
I Wanted To Be:
- Wonder Woman
Because she kicked everyone’s ass and her hair still looked good after. - Oh Mighty Isis
Because she kicked everyone’s ass with stuff like the weather AND her hair still looked good after. - A Monkee
Because they got to monkey around, and they’re too busy singing to put anybody down. - A Librarian
Because libraries are quiet places where people get smarter by the page. - The Next Great Architect
Because my father said librarians don’t make any money, and this was the only way I’d get rich using my drawing skills, because artists don’t make any money either. - A College Student
Because going to school to become an architect was looking to be far more fun than actually being one. - The Good Wife
Yeah. Right. - Whatevah
After I blew off the Next Great Architect gig and the Perfect Wife thing didn’t work out, I didn’t much care what I did as long as it paid okay and didn’t require me to think much. This was the start of a 10 year lesson in being careful what we wish for. - Anything To Get Away From These Assholes I Work For And With
Another important lesson: Never tell the Universe you’d do anything to get/have <fill in the blank>. Never. Do not voice it. Do not even think it vigorously. The Universe has an exceptional sense of humor…or at least, it seems to believe it’s funny.
And Now…
Looking back over all my Dream Jobs, as rough as some of those middle bits were, the worst were the last two when I gave up on trying for what I loved and settled for whatever I didn’t hate.
When it comes to choosing a career or a business or a pet or a partner or a car or even what to eat for take out, we need to be specific.
The “Anything but X or Y” strategy will fail us 99.9% of the time because there’s a motherlode of undesirable and unsatisfying careers, businesses, relationships, cars, and meals out there that are neither X nor Y.
Be specific about what you want.
Be specific. Even if it means having to live with the consequences of a bad call. And, of course, it absolutely does mean exactly that, but I’m hear to tell ya that there are worse things.
With that in mind, I’m going to address Bob’s Dream Meme in the next post. It’s an excellent call to action about being specific. It’s a compelling exercise because it asks for specifics. And I’ve been avoiding it because it expects specifics. And I’m dreading it because…?
So Wednesday is for specifics, but…
Today Is For Dreaming
What did you dream of being when you were a kid?
What do you dream of being now?
Lemme know down below.
I wanted to be an architect because I loved messing around with blocks and Meccano and spent a lot of time drawing house plans. Then I wanted to be an interpreter, then a writer. Then I briefly fell out of love with writing, then fell in love with it again. Interestingly, whenever I do those job profile things they all say that I should be a writer
Recent blog post from Sharon Hurley Hall – Get Paid To Write Online: Promotion Is Free – Social Networking
Ah Crystal,
Come play in the dirt with me and we can romp and daydream together. We are on the same wavelength today I think. When I grew up I was going to be a famous writer and a famous actress.When I was twenty, I was in a play that made the local access channel tv in which I played a very sexy villiness. ( You must pay the rent…I can’t pay the rent..type of thing only reversed. For a dreadful amount of time it played late at night over and over and I was recognized in public by people who should have gone to bed and shouldn’t stay up that late. As in YUCK. Lesson learned.
I think it stopped me for a long, long time.
I dropped the famous part and wanted to be a secret writer that wrote under a mysterious pen name. I decided I was too shy to ever be famous.
I’m over it. But I’m not going to Hollywood.
Recent blog post from Wendi Kelly: In the Dirt
@Sharon—Welcome and thanks for your comment!
Meccano was new to me, but thankfully Wikipedia had the whole story with photos: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meccano How cool to read that you’ve been making worlds since the beginning…first with metal and bolts, now with nouns and verbs
Those job profile tests are always a treat. I love that you get the reinforcement to be a writer, and that it tells me to be an architect and I say, “Seriously, no. What’s #2 on the list?”
But most of all, I love that what you once dreamed of doing and what you currently do are the same thing. What a blessing!
Thanks again!
Crystal
ps Do you still draw house plans? And what would you have been interpreting? Sign language? French? …?
@Wendi—Howdy and Oh, Dear! I can see where that would put you off for awhile, but nothing in the ‘verse can stop a Wendi with a Will (and a Can and a Belief).
And selfishly, I’m glad you’re not going to Hollywood. We want and need you right here
Off to get In The Dirt!
(and thanks for your comment)
I wanted to be an archaeologist, and that same feeling wells up whenever I watch a documentary on tv or listen to coast to coast am or visit a museum.
I wanted to be in a singing group like Sha Na Na so my friends and I made one (puberty ended the group hehe).
I wanted to be a starship captain but have been on special assignment deep undercover on this planet for most of my career in the federation.
I wanted to do something with computers way back before there were any Macs and use computers all the time!!
But what I am, the main part of me, is what I always already was no matter what else I thought I wanted to be. I was always an artist and I will always be one.
Now my dreams are to be a great artist hehe!!
Recent blog post from Darren Daz Cox: what are the trees looking at?
I still drew them occasionally when I was planning a self build, but I don’t draw house plans much anymore.
I wanted to interpret French or Spanish, both of which I spoke fluently at the time, but which are now, sadly, a bit rusty.
Recent blog post from Sharon Hurley Hall – Get Paid To Write Online: Promotion Is Free – Social Networking
Crystal,
Great post!
Truth? Until I left college the first time—really, until a month before I realized what I did NOT want to be—I only wanted to be one thing, from 8 to 20. I wanted to teach English as a second language to Hispanic kids in inner cities. From 8. No stop for ballerina or firefighter or anything else.
I DID a lot of stuff, but I never thought any of it would impact my career. I thought art and theatre would be part of ESL. I though I have a lot of hobbies (which I do!).
So I took wandering time and explored making money with my talents in a few ways. Amazingly the way that’s with me to this day (design) started finding ME from pretty early on. Through other jobs, I kept doing design work on the side. By the time I went back to school to get a degree in it, I’d already been doing it for years.
I don’t know if that’s the best way, but I’m a stubborn Goat. It was my way, and I’ve never been sorry about it.
My kid, without ever knowing this, has wanted to be an architect since she was three. (Nine now.) No pushing at all from me because I remember my past!
So naturally, she’s going to grow up to be a Monkee.
Regards,
Kelly
Recent blog post from Kelly: OPEN 24/7, Just for You
Crystal,
I like your list and I love that picture, because that’s just where I want to be right now, in a field gazing at the sky…
I actually answered your questions over at my place, but it wouldn’t be fair for everyone to have to go over to see it (but all are welcome, of course!)
So… I wanted to be an astronaut, which would have (logically, to me) required me to be a fighter pilot. But my eyes had other ideas… glasses…
Then I thought I wanted to be an engineer. Well, I am one. And it isn’t for me…
Not sure I’ve grown up yet to be honest – not that this is a bad thing. So when I grow up, I want to be a writer and live off of that.
It is in the works…
Thanks for the words today – Brett
Recent blog post from Brett Legree: field of dreams – the dream meme.
Isis…??
(Hahahah!). You’re dating yourself! You must have grown up watching Saturday morning cartoons in the 1970’s.
I never understood Isis…but I did have a crush on Wonder Woman (and Daisy Duke).
I always wanted to be like the Mighty Hercules, myself.
I still have no idea what I want to do when I grow up.
On account of I havent’ grown up yet.
- Friar
Recent blog post from deepfriar: Storm Chasing on a Monday Evening…
I wanted to be an astronaut for a few spurts during my childhood.
That and the guy who goes to Africa and captures the elephants and giraffes and brings them back to the zoo.
A few years ago, a computer scientist.
Today, a designer.
The Future, probably marketing or consultant type work.
@All — Woohoo! There’s nothing better than waking up to an Inbox full of your dreams
@Sharon — Same thing here, I sketch and/or edit plans for other people, so it’s just an occasional hobby. I never even thought of being an interpreter…hmmm, that sounds exotic!
@Darren — Welcome and thanks for your lovely list of old, accomplished and new dreams
Especially the Sha Na Na one, because I thought those gold boots were it lol Like Friar said, our dreams date us in the funnest way!
@Kelly — Gotta love a wonderful winding worklife that got you right where you should be, and was also rewarding and fun along the way. GOTTA love it! And hey, when you’re done designing, or even just want to take a break for it, those kids will be right there waiting for you. There’s time enough, and the best dreams don’t get stale…and making art and theatre a part of ESL? Yum. Super yum. Unleashing your creative idea monster on tricky problems has always been a thing with you, eh?
@Brett — One of the best skills we can have these days is to be flexible. How cool that you can and will and believe in changing direction, taking steps large and small toward the next good thing. Among many your many apparent gifts, I admire your willingness to change, and to inspire the rest of us to change! Scribble on!
@Friar — Don’t grow up. There’s no advantage to it. Folks spend decades in therapy trying to get back to where you are
Hercules sounds like a great choice, by the way!
And I’m stunned you knew what I was talking about lol! I sure did watch those shows. I remember standing on my bed and trying to make something happen by waving my arms around. Never did
But now I can make all kinds of stuff appear outta nowhere by waving my fingers over a keyboard. It ain’t even close to Isis powers, but it’ll do…it’ll do.
@Jeremy — Love your list, love it. Funny thing about your current gig as a designer, you can do the work from a sketchpad and a laptop…and you can easily tote those into the bush…and there’s satellite Internet access, so you can connect from anywhere…and if you didn’t want to bring ‘em back in cages, you could always bring ‘em back in a camera. Funny thing
Wow, you guys so made my morning! Now I gotta imaginate my own dream. Hmmm…
Crystal,
Unleashing things, and insane multitasking. From birth.
I have a friend who stopped being a VP of a big communications company at age 40 to go back and teach ESL, bless him. I think I’m a tough enough nut to handle their issues but he is SO surprised by the kids! Didn’t they tell him not every day is like student techer days? Apparently not.
I admire how he just took himself out of the money-making race, though. If I ever catch up to him, maybe I will, too.
I’ll never catch up
, but I love what I do, so it’s much better this way.
Later,
Kelly
Recent blog post from Kelly: OPEN 24/7, Just for You
When I was a kid, Burger King was my favorite restaurant and I dreamed of working there one day. I never could understand why my parental figures discouraged my idea and kept talking about going to school.
Thankfully, my goals have changed a bit since then.
Recent blog post from Chris Guillebeau: How To Run 26.2 Miles on the Open Sea
Crystal,
I think this post is great.
I’ve been hovering because I wanted to see what everyone else wrote before submitting my own list.
First, I always wanted to be in writing or advertising. I loved books and commercials equally when I was a child. Weird. I know. It must have been all those sugary cereal commercials.
Being a librarian had crossed my mind, but the Dewey Decimal System scared me too much.
When I entered high school, I wanted to be a lawyer. When I left high school (and totally not copying Brett), I wanted to be a fighter pilot, but one of my best friends told me I was too short (5′0) and I had bad eyes, so I had no chance of making it. I’m still mad at him for saying it.
When I was in first year University, I wanted to be a Psychologist. I still do. I love experiments, methodology and research. I’m hoping one day I’ll go back and get my MA.
I’m happy being a writer. I’m back to where I began. It’s comforting.
Recent blog post from Pamela: Decluttering My Life with Marcia Francois
I wanted to be a lawyer then, a children’s librarian. I also thought I would enjoy teaching.
I became the teacher then decided on a whim to work as a paralegal while working on my JD;I got my Paralegal Certificate. I didn’t much care for the paralegal stuff and decided I would rather work as a law librarian. I’m taking the slow boat to that one.
For the last 21 years I’ve also worked as a mom. I didn’t have a clue about how to work THAT career at all.
I’m still learning…
Recent blog post from joelle: Wasting Time Before the Day’s Onslaught
When I was a kid, I wanted to be a writer and an archaeologist. Currently, I’m a writer with a degree in Classical Studies. Go figure…
I also wanted to be an architect, an actor, a musician, a computer programmer (one of my earliest memories is programming in BASIC from a book full of games based on Marvel Comics characters), an artist…
Actually, I still want to be most of those things.
(But what I would really, really love to do is design theme parks and park rides.
Incidentally, have you seen How I Am Becoming An Astronaut (http://damarisbsarria.blogspot.com/) ?
Recent blog post from Chris Anthony: Firefox 3 released today…
@Crystal,
You, too, have that gift – so keep on moving forward. Willingness to change lets us go after what we really want.
-Brett
Recent blog post from Brett Legree: field of dreams – the dream meme.
Early on, I thought I might be a teacher because my parents were both teachers, but that didn’t last very long.
For quite a while, maybe all through elementary school, I really wanted to be the person who makes the models for a museum – the one whoo models and paints the dinosaurs and things like that.
And briefly, sometime in Jr High, I really wanted to be an Efficiency Expert. Truth.
Then I discovered Science and all through Jr High and High School and even parts of College, I assumed I would be a scientist.But it turns out I really do NOT like labwork.
In College I was torn between Science and Computers. When I met my to-be-spouse the computers won (he had an early Sun computer – graphics pre-Mac!) and I became a programmer. I love problems solving and I love technology. But over time, Irealized I didn’t want too write software for people I would never meet. So I toyed with soome alternatives…
But way way back when I was 12 or 13, I really wanted to be an Efficiency Expert. I’ve gradually reached a point where what I do with computers, software, writing, and Wikis, comes close to that early goal – I help people get their jobs done.
I must be close to “when I grow up.”
Recent blog post from Vicki: 1
@All—
New from Sharon Hurley Hall: What Is Your Dream For Your Writing Career?
Dreams beget dreams, it seems
http://snurl.com/2lsle
I wanted to be an astronaut and a geologist the most. I am not sure what I want to be now but astronomy and physics still fascinates me, maybe I will go into that.
I wanted to be a ballerina, or a Rockette (although I didn’t know that’s what it was at the time) I also wanted to be She-Ra so I could ride a flying horse!
Recent blog post from Jenny: It Is My Life
I wanted to be a jockey…but I quickly grew out of it.
I wanted to be a butcher, but I couldn’t hack it.
OK…seriously, gr0wing up, I wanted to work in the world of business, finance etc…just like my Father. After graduating from Miami University in 1980 (I love that school), that’s exactly what I did.
Oh…that’s right. I also always wanted to provide comments on blogs like this.
Some of us do not want to grow up at all, because we are kids at heart.
http://www.womensboots.com
I didn’t know what I wanted, but whatever it was, it wasn’t what I’m doing now.
I’ve been thinking about my early ideas of what I wanted to do and my most recent ideas for a worklife, too.Looking back over all my Dream Jobs, as rough as some of those middle bits were, the worst were the last two when I gave up on trying for what I loved and settled for whatever I didn’t hate.