What did you want to be when you grew up?

I also wanted to become a 'writer' but became an executive assistant in state government. I still write; I just haven't been published beyond local newspapers and magazines. If you want to write, keep writing.

i wanted a nice cubicle middle management job in accounting or finance where i spent the day writing spreadsheets that no one ever read. But no one was hiring in 1990, so I pretty much have stayed home and watched tv. (big trust fund)

Wanted to be a train engineer because driving a huge powerful locomotive seemed a real man's job.

I wanted to be an automobile designer or a Disney Imagjneer (or an amusement ride designer for another company).

I ended up in the printing/publishing industry.

a singer

a whatever you want me to be office worker. last job=loan processor.

A priest, then a member of the Legion of Super Heroes, and then a wastrel and occasional bounder.

Success!

My goal was to find a wealthy man who would support me in the lifestyle to which I'd become accustomed.

I wanted to be a doctor but that takes too many years of schooling and so much money.

So I became a lawyer, which sucks but pays the bills

A member of Pan’s People on Top Of The Pops. Every Friday at school my friend Yasmin and I would try to do the routines from the show the night before. And I thought nobody knew I was gay.

A dancer.

I became a corporate office manager

An astronaut.

When I was little I wanted to be a teacher. Then a music star, then a writer (first books, then a soap opera!) Then a radio DJ.

I was a writer (as in, paid for it) for a while. But I've been general office cube prisoner, adequate to do various admin tasks.

A surgeon. Instead I'm a whore

I wanted to be a minister.Dress up, with my white collar, every Sunday. Give a nice sermon. Host a little garden party for my week behaved parishioners after service. Live in the parish cottage. But I knew I'd never be spiritual enough.

I wanted to be an actor and ended up a trial lawyer, which is like getting what I wanted except a lot more work.

anthropologist

all I wanted was to be happy. it didn't happen.

I wanted to become a screenwriter and have other people say my lines. Instead I ended up becoming an actor and saying other people’s lines.

Either a film director or a writer (of novels, film, or television -- with the latter, I most wanted to create and be the headwriter of my own soap opera).

I'm a middle manager at an insurance company.

A private dancer

i wanted to be an architect, but my dad told i was too dumb in math to be one

Why would you need math to be an architect?

I wanted to be a teacher, but I was very aware even as a young teen in the 70s that you couldn't be gay (and out) and be a teacher. So then I decided I wanted to be a college professor.

And while I never did get offered a tenure track position (they still frown on being gay and out here in FL if you're a social scientist), I did get to teach at the college level for about five years total. They were the happiest years of my life.

Now I'm retired, which is also pretty cool.

Loved.

Children are such fools.

I also wanted to be an architect. I was a timid child who stuttered. The idea of sitting behind a drafting table all day, working alone, was quite appealing. Instead I grew up to become vp of sales for a billion dollar company which requires non-stop public speaking and social interaction.

R22, I'm guessing R21 is around my age (62). Architecture - before computers - required a propensity for math and engineering.

A journalist, but my high school English teacher did her best to crush that hope. In the end, I'm grateful to her (a shocking admission, my friend since kindergarten remarked) because journalism collapsed with the internet and so many really good professionals have been forced to beg for a living or suck up to the right and lie about everything.

I ended up being a serial entrepreneur. Gave the first company to kindergarten friend when I graduated from college and moved across the country; sold second business to a competitor; third business failed (again, the internet); fourth business is a work in progress but going well.

I wanted to be a psychologist but had to settle for, um, something else. :)

I wanted to be Batman, or at least Batgirl.

Then I wanted to be Lois Lane.

Then I wanted to be a teacher, and a then a nurse, but I saw that teachers didn't make any money and went broke paying for their masters on a teacher's salary, and a lot of nurses burn out before 50.

I work in healthcare in an office setting. I'd still settle for being a reporter or writer.

I wanted to be an actor, but I was chubby, unpopular, completely discouraged by my risk averse practical mother, so I became a lawyer.

I really wanted to be a French teacher but that wasn’t good enough. Now I wish I had been any kind of teacher.

Lawyers are truly scum

Egyptologist.

Beginning in Jr. High and continuing through college, I wanted to be a Hospital Administrator. I changed course in Grad School, and became an Investment Banker.

I never really thought much about it. Mostly I wanted to nuzzle by face in guys' hairy crotches.

I thought maybe I'd be a translator b/c I'm good with languages. Then someone told me how low-paying it can be in the written form, and how high-stress it can be in the verbal/political form. I love music but that's a tough row to hoe, too.

So I said fuck it and went into business.

I wanted to be a singer.

I created a blueprint for my entire discography. I was going to go to NYC and put out my first album at 18 in 2005.

I did try. But being in Boston it was either metal or ambient or low budget hip-hop and it was hard people who were into the same music as me. I wanted to be post-punk / New Wave.

No one was listening to New Order and The Cure and Blondie back then. They pretend today they all grew up with it but they didn’t.

I auditioned for a band and it was so bad. It was a metal band and I knew they hated me. I think I tried to back out but they wanted me to audition. They didn’t have the microphone set up properly for vocals or it was really cheap and I sounded awful.

I was also horrified by my voice. I didn’t work with pros ever so I hated the sound of my voice. Dry raw vocals are very harsh. Singers are used to hearing their studio vocals with reverb, I didn’t. I thought I sounded awful. Maybe I was but I didn’t get the chance to play too much.

I ended up becoming a photographer and put my creativity there. I especially learned I don’t actually like the idea of being in the spotlight or on stage or any of that stuff. I prefer to craft and create, not perform or entertain.

A film historian

Television camera man. Became a radio announcer.

Cool thread. I'm a trainer and I use this in my classes as an ice-breaker on day 1 as part of introductions. It works wonders to get people to open up on their first day of training!

A schsstarr, shilllly!

I’m one of the wannabe-actors who became a lawyer. I also had a period of wanting to be a child psychologist, which ended when I watched The Sixth Sense.

Well-dressed and sexy, or it gets the hose again.

Loved.

R40 did it happen?

I wanted to be involved in the Canadian TV industry. I work at a grocery store.

Blue Boy

A male Price is Right model or a costume designer for films. I was not the type for the first, I became the second.

A fashion designer

A social worker (my mom thought I was too sensitive for to be one) and VP of Human Resources (a good one)

I always wanted to be a writer but was afraid that I wouldn't make enough money.

I ended up being a rich writer.

If only the rest of my life worked out as well.

🤗 r24

I just watched "The Devil Wears Prada" which I fucking love and watch it anytime I find it on.

There's this one scene were Nigel is talking to Andrea about how the more successful you are in work, the less successful you are in personal relationships. It sounded true to me in a New York way.

R47 Good for you. I'm still writing and not making a penny but I still love writing.

I wanted to be a painter. Grew up believing it would be impossible to live from art so I did study art history (to be became a teacher) and then graphic design, which I work for a while but was very unhappy. I end up doing a Master in fine arts at 32 and did became and am an artist. Still struggling a bit financially but accepted that, do what I love and feel not "happy happy" but accomplished, true to myself.

R46 I’m a social worker and who would do it besides the sensitive?! But I know what you mean.

Olivia Newton-John

Maybe we're soulmates in a parallel universe, R4?

I was obsessed with automobiles at a young age and wanted to be a “car designer”. I also ended up in the printing/publishing industry as well.

R51, When I became an adult, I wanted to pursue fine art, but, it just wasn't in the cards for me, as I realized I couldn't live the life of the "starving artist" and instead chose a career in graphic design.

R41, truthfully, yes, but it took changing my understanding of growing up and the unexpected luck of a chance meeting.

I wanted to be a writer but found that I hate the pressures of writing for work. The stress of the deadlines! I could do it while in the office but find it’s impossible to do at home. Just end up pulling all nighters. That’s why so many writers write at Starbucks. It seems they were all fucked during the pandemic.

I wanted to be a lawyer. Well, nor a lawyer as much as a judge, like a judge Judy type. I'd settle disputes, and fight for the wronged and punish the guilty, - all the while delivering wise and stern judgments from the pulpit. Oh, forgive me, pulpits not the word but I was also the kid who wanted to grow up to be a minister and give nice sermons ^^

I guess I just wanted to be bossy and tell people what to do. Well, I did grow up bossy and overbearing if you go by what my friends say about me. Not that I have many, mind you.

Which Legionnaire are you, r6?

I wanted to be a teacher, but became a translator. It was a terrible decision. I love the job, but there is no future in it.

Prostitute

Archaeologist. Gave it up after I realized it’s done with teaspoons and toothbrushes.

Then actor, trained well, but never got far at all.

Then came out and got struck sober.

After that, life got very different. Lived in lovely places. Painted and sold my art. Became a nurse, 10 years on locked psych units, 8 years in hospice.

Now retired in Florida, where I paint, show in galleries, and even had an Equity acting job.

Go figure.

A wanton slut with a mouth full of teeth with no edges.

All of that happened and I becummed a First Lady.

[quote] What did you want to be when you grew up?

Alive.

When I was 7 yrs. old, I wanted to be a TIGER!! When I was 9 yrs. old, I wanted to be a TIGER that ripped the throat out of my dad (who turned out not to be my DNA Daddy).

A clown or butcher. Sounds like a horror movie.

When asked this question in the third grade, I replied that I wanted to be the guy who rings the bell on The Price is Right.

[quote]I wanted to be a teacher, but became a translator. It was a terrible decision. I love the job, but there is no future in it.

I always thought being a translator would be very interesting. Why was is there no future in it?

All right, I'll say it. I wanted to be a werewolf. I was a bit disturbed.

R61 At which age did you become a nurse?

I wanted to go to Juilliard and become a concert pianist (mom crushed that dream). Was an ad exec then went to grad school and became a Clinical Psychologist. Now head of behavioral health for a healthcare company. Still wish I had tried the pianist route...

I wanted to be part of the movie industry--not an actor but maybe a writer, producer, etc.

I ended up an a management consultant.

I could've been a singer, a painter, and a violinist. I ended up being a writer and curator.

This brings up a sore point re my family, because if any of them had spent one second in a room with me and understood my gifts and talents, instead of trying to force me into a cog that everyone else was jumping into, I might have been closer to realizing that dream.

Alas.

I also wanted to be an architect, but gave it up after my first semester of college when I found out it involved more than just drafting floorplans and sketching the exterior of houses. I eventually became a lawyer.

I just wanted to make six figures. I didn't care how, but I accomplished my goal (and six figures ain't shit!)

R67, translation IS very interesting, and it has given me a decent living for the past 15 years, but it’s increasingly regarded as a service which should be available at very low-cost, by agencies who employ staff in the developing world who will work for pennies, or which can be acquired for free from Google Translate.

I’ve managed to avoid these issues for a while because I work in a specialist niche sector, but even my clients are increasingly reluctant to pay for decent quality.

It’s time for me to find a new work direction, but I’ve really very little idea of how to repurpose my skills for a new career. And it’s a little daunting in my forties!

I wanted to be a small town pharmacist. After 2 years of pharmacy school, I changed my major, eventually earned a PhD, and became a university administrator. Eventually served as a dean for a couple of years, then changed careers entirely and bought a company that I owned for 13 years. Worked very hard and retired rich in July. I made wise career choices, but work was never particularly enjoyable.

Photojournalist. Not to toot my own horn, but art in general was my strong set growing up. My high school class even voted me "Most Artistic". Photojournalism became more appealing as I got older though. It just seemed more exciting and challenging to be on the front end of documenting significant events.

I ultimately also ended up taking an interest in web dev and marketing. I'm a coding geek and an Excel geek these days.

Alive

R79 Such a poignant sentiment. Must have been why R63 already said it.

[quote] When I was 7 yrs. old, I wanted to be a TIGER!! When I was 9 yrs. old, I wanted to be a TIGER

We’re you retarded? This is something a toddler would say. No one pass age 3 would say this unless you’re Ralph Wiggims.

It's "Were you retarded?" Happy Thanksgiving and "Fuck You Asshole...Go Fucking DIE Alone"!! Have a Nice Day!

I wanted to be a cunt, like R81.

When I was 6 yrs old I’m on video saying I wanted to be a porn star.

I wanted to be an actor/singer/dancer or an architect/designer. I am an actor/singer/dancer and occasionally have worked in the interior design field as an assistant.

R84, how close did you come to realizing this early ambition?

R86 close? I is one!

r73, I know what you mean. I posted earlier that one of my dreams was to be a writer on a soap opera -- I loved soaps as a teen, watching, in turn, General Hospital, Ryan's Hope, As the World Turns, and all-time fave Guiding Light. But my mother would constantly bemoan this, muttering "how can you watch that crap" even after I would spend Sunday afternoons writing up story ideas. It was devastating.

A concert pianist and then a historian of British history. But I found that practically all of it had already been covered ("The Penguin Guide to the Year 1654 in British History"). I just ended up working on computers at the university and have done that for my entire career. I do all the fun stuff/hobbies when I'm not at work.

I wanted to be a board game designer. Seriously. I actually designed a bunch of games when I was a kid

I became an accountant instead

When I was a young teenager I read "Making the Mummies Dance". Prior to that I wanted to be an artist, after reading that book, I wanted to be Thomas Hoving. I wanted what he had and was at that time.

My earliest career wish was to be a veterinarian. Turned out, I'm too math-challenged. I did have my own petsitting business for a while which was pretty great. You want me to hang out with your adorable cat and pay me for the privilege? Hell yes!!!