I’m pretty sure we’ve all done it, right? We’ve thought that when we grow up we want to be something and then changed our mind 1000 times. Since today’s daily blogging challenge topic was my dream job, and I still don’t know what my dream job is, I thought I would share with you a non-exhaustive list of careers I thought I was destined for that haven’t come to fruition.

My lifelong dream:

From the age of 4 until I was 16 I had my heart set on becoming a speech therapist. Unfortunately my exam results decided for me that this just wasn’t meant to be, and I had to rethink the one thing I had been sure of my whole life.

My childhood dream:

I wanted to be a tightrope walker. I was so sure that because I was really good at walking along this wall in town that it meant I was destined to balance on a high rope in a circus tent. The problem is the wall was about a foot and a half wide and about half a foot off the ground. Oh yeah, and I’m not actually the greatest person with heights.

I was also sure that I was going to fulfil my destiny of becoming a mermaid when I grew up. I’m still waiting.

My overambitious phase:

When I looked back on my Moving To The Academy booklet even I was slightly startled by how ambitious I was in the box that said “when I grow up I’m going to be a…”! I must have listed at least a dozen jobs compared to everybody else’s one or two – forever the little overachiever.

While I can’t remember everything I wrote down, some of the ones which I do remember are:

• Scientist (I was going to make world-changing discoveries).
• Teacher.
• Famous writer (not just a writer, but specifically a famous one).
• A woodworker (wood and metal work were probably some of my worst subjects at school).
• Astronaut (everyone’s thought they’d like to go to the moon at least once, right?).
• Actor.
• Singer.
• Archaeologist (dinosaurs are cool).
• Zoo keeper.

What I applied to university for:

I have submitted so many university applications over the years, or at least it feels like it. I have never been the most decisive person and it was definitely reflected in the courses which I applied for. Amongst the courses I have considered (and in some instances been accepted for before changing my mind!) are:

• journalism.
• media.
• public relations.
• religion and education.
• English and education.
• primary education.
• youth work.
• occupational therapy.
• creative writing.
• english.
• audiology.

If you’re thinking about applying for further or higher education and you’re not entirely sure what you want to do, check out my advice for picking something you won’t hate here.

Even now with a degree and a full time career under my belt I don’t know what I want to do with my life. What do you want to do when you grow up? Let me know in the comments below!