From Astronaut to Lawyer: Why do our dreams get smaller when we grow up?
At a young age, everything seems accessible and possible, almost easy. How does this change?
Reasons that your dreams can change:
– Elders, teachers or parents might disagree with your choice of work, you may be discouraged from the career because you have been repeatedly told it is ‘too difficult’.
– You may have found out that you’re not physically capable, or even fail to achieve the grades you need in order to pursue your dreams.
– Society often encourages a ‘You can’t do everything in one lifetime!’ mindset. This leads to people’s dreams and aspirations getting smaller.
– Education systems are usually built to highly emphasise this. In the UK, for example, through its restrictive GCSE and A-Level subject-choosing system, a policy which can manifest itself as doors to fixed future options and alternative career paths being slammed shut.
– From a young age you are boxed into subjects which will determine your degree, your future job, your lifestyle, and much more.
– Because of this, it is encouraged that you choose tame, ‘useful’ subjects, those subjects typically being the science subjects and sidelining arts and humanities.
Ways to overcome this:
The best advice is to choose what you want to do now because the opportunities are endless and recognise that you have an entire life to pursue your multiple lives and interests.
Your Future, Your Choice
Young wannabe artists, astronauts and mermaids soon grow up to rethink their career options.
As youths, the concept of a ‘career’ is something far away, a thing that hasn’t yet become fully comprehensible, so it is almost obvious that the dream career of a young child would be to travel the depths of space and to become one with the fish in the ocean. As we grow older, this intense creativity and thirst for more manifests itself as students hoping to become artists, writers, marine biologists, singers.
But why do we quickly eliminate the possibility of carrying out our dreams, almost immediately, as soon as we grow and learn?
From a young age, we are boxed into subjects which will determine your degree, your future job, your lifestyle, and much more. Because of this, it is often encouraged that you choose tame, ‘useful’ subjects: medicine, architecture, mathematics, law and so on. These subjects are, of course, noble and fundamental to our society, however they should not become the default option in order to achieve the so-called
‘successful life’.
A stigma arises about arts and humanities due to societal preference towards the sciences and mathematics. The language surrounding the arts and humanities subjects is erasing millions of future philosophical thinkers, the graphic designers, the wildlife protectors, investigative journalists and more traditionally creative roles.
Peace Child works tirelessly to support the big dreams of young children around the world with their learning courses – this both engages the children who often feel as though they are incapable of achieving their dreams, and it also enables children to get a taster for a potential job. We also help to set youths up for the future, at an advantage that will hopefully become available for all eventually. Peace Child relates to this as our efforts help youths to achieve and live their dreams. Even those that you may have felt were unreachable to you.
How can we resolve this?
Of course, there is no single, optimal way to avoid putting your dreams aside to instead prioritise the career that you are ‘expected’ to pursue, however there is a recommendation.
We must all recognise that life will open multiple doors for us the longer we progress through it. If you have the opportunity to grab the life of your dreams, then it is always best to take it and see what happens. The journey to your goal will take adventurous routes and success means triumph over adversity in many instances.
Ultimately, you can be successful in any job that you choose – You will define success, which can be defined in many ways and is a personal measurement. Success may look like money to some, fame or friendship or to others it may look like travelling to new places! Set your goals and don’t be scared to move them or set new ones!
It is also vital to emphasise that you have been given one life, and you mustn’t waste it on a dream that is not yours! You are allowed to choose the artistic, unconventional and often dangerous career – the best and most remembered people have been recognised for their individuality and risk-taking with absolute determination to live out their dreams.
Bonne Chance!
