What do you want to be when you grow up?

[jryoung]

Maybe not what I'd do for a career, but this is a job I'd pay to do for a day or two.

Sacramento Wildlife Refuge on Instagram: "If you were around the Sacramento NWR yesterday, you may have noticed our Fire Management staff conducting a prescribed fire on the unit directly in front of the viewing platform. In addition to hand lighti

525 Likes, 16 Comments - Sacramento Wildlife Refuge (@sacramentonwrc) on Instagram: "If you were around the Sacramento NWR yesterday, you may have noticed our Fire Management staff conducting a prescribed fire on the unit directly in front of the viewing platform. In addition to hand lighting...

www.instagram.com

 

[ammo]

We had a house party a number of years ago and the theme was "what you wanted to be when you grew up" and the age we gave was roughly 6-10 for when to reference your aspirations (because these things change).

• I went as a F1 Race Car Driver
• My now husband (bf at the time) went as "a microbiologist from Montana"
• We had about 6-8 marine biologist ladies
• My favorite was my friend Dave that went as a garbage man complete with a missing tooth
• We had two other friends - one dressed as a firefighter and the other dressed as an astronaut. The fire fighter drunkenly wrecked his bike and was rescued by the astronaut.
• We also had a few flight attendants, movie stars, and I believe one person came as a squirrel

(I have since become pretty close to what I want to be, working on aerospace stuff)

 

[mdhunter]

Always wanted to be a pilot. I still love to fly (even commercial, lol) but never went in that career direction. No regrets here as I enjoy owning my own business.

 

[KB_]

find myself thinking about this every so often.

Worked on planes for a number of years and if I could go back i would of been an officer and became a pilot.

Also wish I would have just started my own business.

Thats all hindsight tho. I work to live, not live to work.

 

[BirdManMike]

Well I grew up poor. I didn't like being poor. when I talked to my college advisor in 1991 she said computer science is the highest growth/starting salary. I got my comp sci degree. Kinda weird for a kid who went to a country high school and learned to type on an electric typewriter. wrote my first enterprise application at the age of 24. Was a team lead for about 15 years and now i've been an enterprise software architect for about 10 years. During this time I have interviewed hundreds of candidates, fresh out of college to guys with 30+ years of experience. There is such a void in this space that I tell any kid that doesn't know what they want to do to at least take a programming class. We start right out of school kids at $85k per year and they are all making $120k by the time they turn 30. There is such great opportunity for a young person right now that is willing to work hard. So thats my 2 cents. And its not worth that, my son is going the chem engineering route.

This is the answer for me. I didn’t know what to wanted to be and sat in a Com Sci orientation before starting. I’d never done anything on the confuser that I couldn’t have done on a typewriter prior to starting college, but I decided that would work for me, and it has. Turns out I am good at what I do, even if I don’t feel it sometimes, and have excelled in my career. But, even if I hadn’t been all that good, the bad programmers are still finding something for work these days.

I like the work. The problem solving is rewarding for me, and the day goes quickly. The very best part, tho, is the cultural of flexibility that’s become the norm in the field. Accountability is what’s important, and good, highly-functioning teams don’t place much importance on being in front of the confuser between the hours of 9 and 5, minus lunch hour. So during the falconry season, if I’m taking extended ‘breaks’ mid day, every day, to fly birds, working early and/or late to compensate, there is zero problem so long as production and collaboration and such isn’t affected. I couldn’t practice falconry, or at least not at the level I feel it needs, without this culture.

So thanks, millennials, for bringing this idea of flexibility to the workplace.

 

[deer_shooter]

If I could go back, I'd probably work towards being a psychiatrist or family practitioner. After the service I started school to be a psychologist but once I found out that even with a masters, there was not much money to be made, I switched majors. Several years and a circuitous route later, I got a business degree and MBA. I stumbled in to supply chain in '99 and I'm still in the field, now a director. The pay is very good, nice bonus and excellent time off. The drawback of course is being a desk jockey.
I retire in a little over 8 years and can't wait to do so.

 

[Moserkr]

What do I want to be when I grow up?? Be sure to click like n subscribe, then stay tuned to find out how I became an influencer!! How did no one mention that yet?? Its the most popular, profitable job with zero skill or workload requirements!!!

Obviously kidding, I like my career. Self employed businessman, have my hands in a number of different avenues. Never will retire, already hunt at least a month a year. Fish a bunch too. Opportunities to make more all the time. Flexible schedule, see my kids a lot. Takes hard work, time management, and dedication, as well as working with a pile of people smarter than me. Just wish I went down this path sooner, but it led to my wife n kids so…. Wife has the gubment job with the benefits and pension, which are nice assuming they dont implode, but I could never imagine being dependent on that along with a set m-f schedule.

The dream of living off the land on a small plot of land in the middle of nowhere, hunting and fishing everyday, left when I met my wife and had kids. Now that Im stuck in CA, we are digging in, making the best of it for our family, friends, and everyone I meet through my businesses. Luckily we live in a deep red CA county so I found a silver lining to living here. I could go hunting and fishing every day here just minutes from my front door…

 

[300stw]

have a biology degree, fell out of that line of work when the feds gave me too many rules, got into construction, inspection and management, 6 figures finally,

but best time in my life i spent 3 years horseback working cows, being a wanna be cowboy, i couldnt believe i could get paid to do that job, at the end of three years i was horse and cow poor,,, also at that time i couldnt believe how little they paid me for the hours per year worked, as far as trying to raise a family, buy an acreage ect,, new i needed a change,

now , 5 years till retirement, i am still plenty healthy to fall off a perfectly good horse, and will be looking to go back and chase some cows, ride the mountains, fix some fence, put up some hay,,,, it wont be about money,,,,

 

[Mountain Man]

I am similar to a few people on here. My lone conversation with a guidance counselor in HS resulted in me pursuing a BS in Civil Engineering “because I was good at math and science”. I realized halfway through college that I was way more passionate about wildlife and conservation, but I felt pot committed at that point. I also realized I didn’t want to be a design engineer so I joined the Navy and will retire after 21 years.

I often wonder how my life would’ve been different if I had become a wildlife biologist or an Outfitter, but I am also happy being financially secure with a pension and more flexibility to decide what to do for work in my 2nd career.

My advice would be to seek a job that you are good at and makes sufficient money to support your hobbies and save for retirement. It’s pointless to have a “dream job” if you are broke and can’t retire at a reasonable age.

 

[buckbull]

This is the answer for me. I didn’t know what to wanted to be and sat in a Com Sci orientation before starting. I’d never done anything on the confuser that I couldn’t have done on a typewriter prior to starting college, but I decided that would work for me, and it has. Turns out I am good at what I do, even if I don’t feel it sometimes, and have excelled in my career. But, even if I hadn’t been all that good, the bad programmers are still finding something for work these days.

I like the work. The problem solving is rewarding for me, and the day goes quickly. The very best part, tho, is the cultural of flexibility that’s become the norm in the field. Accountability is what’s important, and good, highly-functioning teams don’t place much importance on being in front of the confuser between the hours of 9 and 5, minus lunch hour. So during the falconry season, if I’m taking extended ‘breaks’ mid day, every day, to fly birds, working early and/or late to compensate, there is zero problem so long as production and collaboration and such isn’t affected. I couldn’t practice falconry, or at least not at the level I feel it needs, without this culture.

So thanks, millennials, for bringing this idea of flexibility to the workplace.

That is one aspect I didn't mention concerning IT. I'm located in Illinois near St. Louis. My manager is in Seattle WA. I work with product owners scattered throughout the country from Philadelphia to Long Beach. We didn't miss a beat with the covid lockdowns, we had been working in a remote setting for 25 years. Being able to work remotely really opens up a lot of opportunity. I could move anywhere where I can get an internet connection. I have a hunting cabin on 50 remote acres. I have Starlink satellite internet (Elon Musk SpaceX). I spent 6 straight weeks at the cabin because I could work from the middle of nowhere. I hunted in the morning, back by 9:30 for our daily stand up. Go back out at 3 if I didn't have a meeting and finish my workday when it gets dark. bowhunting whitetails morning and night without burning vacation. I never miss the whitetail rut or wonder if that buck i have on camera strolled by a 8:30am on a Wednesday.

 

[utah400elk]

A long time ago, I was trying to get into med School, took the MCAT and got accepted to George Washington. I decided not to go to medical school after working in an ER for a summer (best advice ever from my best friend was to work in the hospital) I have found that money will generally come with time. Many Doctors I know warned me and they said if they could do it over they wouldn’t. Their advice to the younger me, was to be careful what you get good. They explained that before you know it, you won’t be able to leave your chosen profession because of debt and general life (marriage, commitments and obligations).

 

[Phaseolus]

I want to be big.

 

[rjthehunter]

My advice would be to seek a job that you are good at and makes sufficient money to support your hobbies and save for retirement. It’s pointless to have a “dream job” if you are broke and can’t retire at a reasonable age.

I'd be worried being retired on a fixed income in this economy! Insane inflation has to make those retired people a little uneasy.

If you like your job and enjoy what you get to do everyday, then I see no reason to rush retirement. You can have a lot more fun at a younger age vs putting off the adventures for retirement when you might not be able to physically do what you've dreamed of for years!

 

[jt13]

I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life growing up. Drifted towards law enforcement because it seemed like a turnkey job for someone with a half decent sense of right from wrong like myself. There was a decision point in my life after I was accepted to the engineering school at a major state university. I had to make the call, law enforcement or engineering... At the time I needed to make the decision, I was in an AP Calculus class with a terrible teacher. I had such a hard time I convinced myself that I would never make it as an engineering major in college. Im now 13 years out of high school and 9.5 years into a law enforcement career. Knowing how everything settled out, I wouldn't change a thing. However, sometimes in a quiet moment I wonder what it all would have been like if it weren't for that one bad math teacher.

 

[jt13]

If you like your job and enjoy what you get to do everyday, then I see no reason to rush retirement. You can have a lot more fun at a younger age vs putting off the adventures for retirement when you might not be able to physically do what you've dreamed of for years!

@wllm paging Barry Ramsey

 

[Mountain Man]

I'd be worried being retired on a fixed income in this economy! Insane inflation has to make those retired people a little uneasy.

If you like your job and enjoy what you get to do everyday, then I see no reason to rush retirement. You can have a lot more fun at a younger age vs putting off the adventures for retirement when you might not be able to physically do what you've dreamed of for years!

That is easy to say when you’re young and having fun. Not sure you’ll have the same view when 70 and still working to make ends meet instead of doing what you want each day.

The pension adjusts for inflation and is guaranteed (unlike a job you can get fired from) so it is great for this type of economy. Plus you need to save in an IRA so you can also draw from that as needed (not at a fixed rate) while maintaining sufficient principal.

I share your quest to enjoy your job and life. I just prefer to grind and sacrifice for 21 years before I potentially find that sweet spot to ensure I’m set up well financially for the rest of my life. There is no “right” way to go about it. My approach is more conservative that has had me miss hunting opportunities over 2 decades, but I sleep well at night knowing my family is well taken care of. I also intend on making up for lost time in my 40s and hunting as much as possible while I still can.

 

[howl]

a retired billionaire

 

[Jape]

Love my profession, but Top Gun Maverick made me question my choice!

 

[Aperventure]

Make sure your son knows he doesn’t have to answer the question. Sometimes it’s a process of elimination. Or an important rule of life, if you don’t know, say so. Then also say “ I will Figure it out tho.” (If you want to figure it out, that is)

I still don’t know what I want to do when i grow up. I would t change it what I’ve done, but I would make a decision to quit certain jobs/careers sooner.

Tried Roofing in Minnesota out of high school. One winter of that got me to mechanic school.

Mechanic work was fun and rewarding, but Wages topped out quickly, with limited seasonal work and Always smelling like gas and dirty. Got me to engineering school.

Engineering was a hell of punch to ego and gut in real world, but I got some
Insight to how business work. Lotsa time in field but most behind a desk. Figured I could do it for myself. 10 years of that burned me out on business ownership and employee management so I sold the business.

Currently watching our 14 month old kid 80% of time (and other 2 kids one day a week) and doing contract engineering work 20%. Still Not sure what next chapter holds yet…. So many good next things to try out!

 

[HuntTalk Freak]

At 42 years old that’s still the existential question for me. I’ve bounced around a lot. If I could go back I’d say big Army into a MOS that involved things other than killing people. I have a relative that did twenty years in the Air Force, retired and became a DOD advisor, he makes six figures in addition to his retirement pay but gets stuck working in other counties for years at a time.

That said, I truly enjoyed my minimal experiences being a “cowboy” and ranch hand. Those were my happiest days when I felt truly free.

Now I’m just trying to figure out what would be the best balance of income, stability and availability for my family.