Childhood dream: To Be or To Do?

When was the last time someone asked you about your childhood dream? It seems like a fairly common question that’s always thrown around but try to remember the last time you heard it. 

Maybe it was for a recent job interview or a personal conversation with a friend? It could also be from the time your guidance counselor helped you find a college course back in high school or a random holiday when your parents or loved ones seemed to take a lot of interest in what you were about to do with life. 

Whatever the answer, reliving the memory does bring a sense of nostalgia and there’s pleasure derived from reminiscing these events. But, I also believe there’s an underlying reason on why there’s still a profound effect on us as we remember these dreams, even if the moment is just passing. 

When we were kids, our choices were limited only to professions that we were familiar with. 

Answers we commonly hear from kids are doctors, lawyers, teachers, and of course, there is the occasional desire to be a cashier or a waiter; all of these are borne out of the exposure and that’s where the problem lies. When we were kids, our choices were limited only to professions that we were familiar with. 

I remember asking my sister about her childhood dream and she said that she dreamt of being an astronaut. However, in most cases, her real profession now involves quality assurance and quality control — far shot from being an astronaut. 

I can say that she has achieved her childhood dream, just not in the way she initially thought.

But you know what? She’s the most well-travelled person I know. That woman has been all over the Philippines, Asia, Australia, USA, and even Canada and this is all thanks to her uncontrollable wanderlust and desire to explore. It might not have been the moon or a planet, but my sister roamed the world like an astronaut and I can say that she has achieved her childhood dream, just not in the way she initially thought.

Another story I’d like to share is about a former colleague of mine. Before I hired her to the company we worked for then, I asked the same question. 

For her, the ultimate childhood dream was to be a nurse because she was reminded of the time when her grandmother used to get sick and that all she wanted to do was to take care of her loved one. However, the career path she chose as an adult was in the field of recruitment. She may not get to wear scrubs or hold a stethoscope in her hand but she feels immense fulfillment every time she successfully recruits someone. She may not have nursed a patient back to health but she has helped a multitude of others by providing them with jobs. 

We should start asking them not what they want to be but rather, what they want to do. 

It seems to me that we might be asking children the wrong questions for the longest time. We should start asking them not what they want to be but rather, what they want to do. 

You might not have followed your childhood dream to a tee but what aspect of your profession do you enjoy the most? Is it entertaining people? Helping clients? Influencing an audience? Once you have that locked down, begin to align it with your childhood dream. You might be surprised by the connection you find. After all, we have a saying in Filipino:

“Hindi marunong magsinungaling ang bata.” (A child doesn’t know how to lie)