When I Grow Up, I Wanna be…

What do you want to be when you’re older? 

For some, it’s an easy one to answer. For others, it’s quite a bit more difficult.

Growing up, I fell into the latter category. As a kid, I knew I really liked writing and being creative, but I didn’t really think that those types of things could lead to a proper career. I was also very academic, a trait encouraged by my Nigerian parents, and as I got older, I adopted the view that when it came to my future, I must pursue a career path that people would regard as professional and well-respected… It was the right thing to do after all!

However, my attempts to establish exactly what this professional career would be was nowhere near as straightforward as I’d hoped. Many of my friends at secondary school already had plans to become doctors and accountants, but I, on the other hand, was absolutely clueless.

By the time I was in my last year of 6^th form and getting ready to pick what I wanted to study at uni, I was no closer to figuring out my future. I remember the day when I finally realised the deadline for applying to university was looming. I was absolutely PETRIFIED. I just didn’t know how I was supposed to make such an important life decision at an age where I still felt like a child.

Fast forward a couple of years, and now, I’ve been to university and studied Law before realising that being a lawyer wasn’t for me, I’ve taught in a secondary school and again, concluded that teaching wasn’t where I wanted to be, I’ve gone back to uni and gotten a masters degree in Magazine Journalism and I worked for various organisations working on digital content.

It hasn’t been an easy road, I still wouldn’t say that I have it all figured out and even just this week, I was thinking about some of the other projects and opportunities I’d like to pursue which again, could see another shift to my career path.

The reason why I say all of this is because I want you to know that the whole ‘having life figured out’ thing is a complete myth. Even some of my friends who knew what they wanted to do from when they were young are trying to understand exactly what it is they want from their working lives. I guess that’s the beauty of it all.

Instead of looking to the future with fear and worry, I now strive to see what God has in store for me as something to be excited about. There are so many opportunities today that weren’t even a thing when I was growing up. And that’s something you can and should get excited about!

Don’t be intimidated or scared. Don’t feel like you have to be like everybody else. And don’t box yourself in. Take the leap, try something new and if you don’t like it, try something else. Absolutely no experience is wasted and God will use yours to help you carve your own unique path.

Even if you don’t know what your want to do in the future right now, it’s honestly ok. And in time, like the Bible reminds us, it will all come together for your good.