•4/10/2009 01:09:00 PM
"What do you want to be when you grow up?"
This is a question plied to us all the moment we start speaking and are capable of a response. Most kids change their minds several times throughout childhood (and college), and like them I went through several phases with this question.
My dreams weren't typical: I never wanted to be a doctor or a teacher or a fire fighter or anything like that. But I accomplished all my childhood dreams by the time I graduated from college almost exactly three years ago (Wow!).
My first goal for my grown-up self was to be a waitress. Yeah, I know. I have no idea what I thought a waitress did at the time or why I found whatever that was to be so glamorous, but that is what I wanted to do with my life. I got my first restaurant job when I was 17 and have been working in the industry fairly steadily since then, so for seven years now (Again, wow!).
My second goal was to be a librarian (And yes I know the picture is of a boy.). I have been an avid reader since I first learned how, and I have always been in love with libraries. They seemed such magical places to me as a kid; I wanted so badly to work or volunteer in one.
When I was a senior in high school I did volunteer at my local library branch for a couple of weeks to fulfill a community service requirement for my Civics class. And when I was a sophomore in college I got a job at the campus library and worked there for three years until I graduated.
So you see I had fulfilled all my life goals before my 22nd birthday. And what is interesting is that in both cases, I didn't get those jobs with those goals in mind. It wasn't until much later that I recalled my childhood goals and realized I had inadvertently achieved them.
As a non-goal-oriented person and lifelong procrastinator, it was a huge shock to my system. I set a goal … achieved it … and before any kind of deadline? That is so unlike me! Now I am scrambling in my brain to remember if there are any other goals I accidentally set and completed. I'm not sure I could handle another surprise of that magnitude.
This is a question plied to us all the moment we start speaking and are capable of a response. Most kids change their minds several times throughout childhood (and college), and like them I went through several phases with this question.
My dreams weren't typical: I never wanted to be a doctor or a teacher or a fire fighter or anything like that. But I accomplished all my childhood dreams by the time I graduated from college almost exactly three years ago (Wow!).
My first goal for my grown-up self was to be a waitress. Yeah, I know. I have no idea what I thought a waitress did at the time or why I found whatever that was to be so glamorous, but that is what I wanted to do with my life. I got my first restaurant job when I was 17 and have been working in the industry fairly steadily since then, so for seven years now (Again, wow!).
My second goal was to be a librarian (And yes I know the picture is of a boy.). I have been an avid reader since I first learned how, and I have always been in love with libraries. They seemed such magical places to me as a kid; I wanted so badly to work or volunteer in one.When I was a senior in high school I did volunteer at my local library branch for a couple of weeks to fulfill a community service requirement for my Civics class. And when I was a sophomore in college I got a job at the campus library and worked there for three years until I graduated.
So you see I had fulfilled all my life goals before my 22nd birthday. And what is interesting is that in both cases, I didn't get those jobs with those goals in mind. It wasn't until much later that I recalled my childhood goals and realized I had inadvertently achieved them.
As a non-goal-oriented person and lifelong procrastinator, it was a huge shock to my system. I set a goal … achieved it … and before any kind of deadline? That is so unlike me! Now I am scrambling in my brain to remember if there are any other goals I accidentally set and completed. I'm not sure I could handle another surprise of that magnitude.
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1 comments:
Greetings from a fellow procrastinator!
I too was a waitress when I was 17, at a banquet hall. It was a fun time and to think I still really enjoy weddings. I can electric slide like no other. :)
Congrats on reaching your goals so early in life! I look forward to seeing great things from you...so you better get up and do them! *eyes on you* ;)