Grow up! or Maybe not?

What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?

Around my 7th birthday, long before I understood the intricacies of healthcare or even had autonomy over my outfit of the day, I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. Without hesitation, I declared, "A doctor!" It was a bold proclamation from a cry baby who when ill would turn into a mix between John Wick and Achilles when an injection was in sight or aimed at the weakest point on his body...his precious butt (On my present relationship with needles, i plead the 5th).

For several years, I invested my thoughts, effort, and time into becoming one without truly understanding what it meant. This decision charted a path that would follow me throughout my life, guiding me toward a future I hadn't fully comprehended. About a year after graduating, I was asked what I wanted to specialize in. “I don’t think I’m going to practice clinically,” I responded, much less assertively than my seven-year-old self. On one hand, I was proud of having reached my goal, but I also wanted more, as I didn’t feel as fulfilled as I thought I would be.

The Weight of Early Decisions

As children, we are all asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Remember when you were a kid and you thought you could be anything? An Astronaut, ballerina, dinosaur, Superhero? The question, is innocent enough when you're five. Our answers are usually the first things that pop into our young minds, driven by our grand dreams or current fascinations. But when we finally reach the crossroads of choosing a career or a course of study, this question resurfaces with more importance than we realize at that moment.

At an age when society believes we are incapable of voting to decide our leaders, and in some countries can’t even buy an energy drink, we are forced to make a decision that will follow us for the rest of our lives. We make that decision with very limited information, internalized biases, a lack of true self-awareness, and sometimes a ‘crappy’ aptitude test. It’s no wonder many of us feel lost. Great stuff, right?

The Complexities of Career Choices

What you do for a living is a complex eventuality prescribed by a plethora of factors: your academic aptitude, the information you have access to, where you live, your social class, your family and friends, your gender, your experiences, and, to a much lesser degree, your actual interests. Many strive to be doctors because of a doctor in their lives whom they look up to, the loss of a relative, a life-changing experience, or maybe a positive or negative experience in a hospital. For some, it’s a family tradition or the only obvious path to financial security, or maybe just a complication of their academic prowess. Outside of my personal experience in medicine, the reasons for the courses and careers people choose (or are given) are even more varied and sometimes outright ridiculous.

(I'd really love to know why you chose your career in the comment section).        

The Reality of Ambitious Goals

The most fortunate among us achieve those ambitious goals, while the rest of us get a front-row seat to life's curveballs. Life happens, and the only constant is change. As we evolve and gain new experiences, we often discover new passions and dreams. These new interests can gnaw at us, leading to feelings of unfulfillment or, worse, failure. As we age, the opportunity cost of chasing dreams instead of a steady pay-check becomes a more daunting obstacle. I read once on Harvard Business Review that 70% of professionals are dissatisfied with their career choices, citing unfulfilled ambitions and changing interests as key reasons. Damn!

The Privilege of Passion

There is a saying, “Do what you are passionate about and you will never work a day in your life.” But maybe the idea that your job should be your passion is inherently privileged. Fortunately, we live in a world where there are many opportunities to do so. Our ancestors weren’t so privileged and opportuned. We live in a world brimming with opportunities thanks to the internet, industrial revolutions, and the gift of time. Yet, many of us feel stuck. Is it a lack of effort, opportunity, luck, or just fear that clips our wings and keeps us from truly flying? Maybe it’s all these reasons and more.

Growing Up and Letting Go

“Grow up!” So many people chasing their childhood dreams have heard this. Sometimes, it's the harsh reality check we need. As adults, we must find a means of livelihood that our true passion might not immediately provide. Maybe our jobs don’t necessarily have to be our passions but a means to enable our passions. Maybe ‘growing up’ in that context means sacrificing our dreams to provide for ourselves and our families. Maybe that’s what it means to become a real man, woman, etc. Maybe accepting that childhood dreams are just that, meant to be left in childhood. But many of our parents, friends, and mentors did this, and so many of them reach the tail end of their lives with regrets, knowing that they should have fought a little harder for those childhood dreams. They spent their entire lives running against the clock and chasing a pay-check, finding only a short respite in retirement. But at that stage, most have lost the will and energy to chase it. Some do, but most don’t.

The Importance of Self-Reflection

I talk about passions and interests, but the truth is many people don’t know what they want to do. Most of us have never taken the time to self-reflect and figure out what we want. And those of us who do often forget that as we tread through life’s sometimes murky waters, new obstacles, passions, and experiences will continually shape our viewpoints. To become the best versions of ourselves, there is a need for continuous self-reflection.

Keeping the Child in You Alive

In the midst of adult responsibilities and the pursuit of pragmatic goals, it's crucial to keep the child in you alive. Those childhood dreams are not just whimsical fantasies; they are reflections of our purest passions and aspirations. Allow room in your life to chase those childhood dreams, even if it's just a small part of your day. Incorporate playfulness, curiosity, and creativity into your routine. Remember, it's not about achieving every dream you had as a child but keeping the spirit of those dreams alive. This can bring a sense of joy and fulfilment that pure pragmatism often lacks. After all, who says you can't be a project manager by day and Batman by night? (PS- Ermmm, so thats not the best example. Vigilante work is a crime and you are not Bruce Wayne, if you didn't already know that...You can be a Youtuber that talks about batman though?)

Navigating the Path to Fulfilment

Considering how much effort and time we put into our careers, they become a part of our identities. However, the best career or life isn’t always a straight line. The steps to take to fulfil our potential and maximize our chances for both success and the life we desire aren’t always clear. As we battle adulthood and the never-ending challenges of life, we all require constant self-reflection and reviews of our key skills, capabilities, experiences, and desires.

Taking the First Steps

Once we start to understand our talents or even just the interests that we feel we can lock in on, we reach a pivotal point in our lives. How do we make our dreams happen? What steps should we take to gain some progress? There really isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. It starts with understanding yourself and deciding you want more from life. The key is to take action. Allocate free time to explore your interests. Read articles, watch videos, embrace change, but don’t spend too much time planning. Start something and learn the necessary skills as you go. We often worry about the skills or experience required, forgetting that we gain them through action.

Enjoying the Journey

You don’t need to figure it all out at the start. Enjoy the process. Part of the beauty of achieving your dreams is the journey. The highs and lows, the twists and turns, the different experiences and emotions that lead to that oasis of fulfilment are truly a special story that can only be yours. Don’t be afraid to pivot and embrace change. Having a vision is good, but hyper-focusing on the destination can lead to destination happiness—the feeling that happiness lies in the destination rather than the present. The problem is that people who forget to enjoy the journey end up reaching the destination without any special fulfilment waiting for them across the line. They tend to reminisce about those moments and desire to relive those precious fleeting times again, but at that point, it’s all too late.

Embracing the Detours

Life has a funny way of throwing curveballs when we least expect them. Detours can sometimes be the most enlightening parts of our journey. While I initially set out to become a doctor, along the way, i became more fascinated with the transformative power of business and technology to solve the toughest challenges in healthcare and have genuine impact in the world. And now, that is my focus. Who knows if there is another twist in my tale ahead but i am excited to keep going.

It’s like planning a road trip to a specific destination, only to find that the small towns and scenic routes along the way offer more richness than the final stop. Embrace these detours—they're not distractions but integral parts of your story, each one adding depth and color to your life's canvas.

The Power of Consistency

Be consistent! Consistency is a more powerful tool than motivation and ambition. Most people are ambitious, but that’s not enough. Consistency is the key to achieving any goal. It bridges the waves of positivity and negativity that are part of chasing your dreams. I struggle with consistency, as we all do, but it’s likely the single most significant factor that differentiates those who achieve their goals from those who just dream about them. Personal accountability is essential. I can achieve my dreams, and if I don’t, it’s probably because I didn’t put in the required work. Surrounding yourself with people or targets that keep you accountable and provide constructive criticism and support is also crucial to staying motivated and maintaining progress

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The Power of Small Wins

We often think success is about those big, monumental achievements. But in reality, it’s the small wins that build momentum and keep us going. Celebrate the tiny victories: completing a project, learning a new skill, or even just sticking to your schedule for a week. These small wins are like stepping stones across a river; they help you navigate from one side to the other. They remind us that progress, no matter how incremental, is still progress. So, give yourself a pat on the back for the little things because they accumulate into something much bigger over time.

Embracing Failures as Stepping Stones

Develop a growth mindset! Failure is often seen as a setback, but it’s truly one of the most powerful teachers on our journey to success. Embracing failure means recognizing it as an inevitable part of growth and learning. Each misstep offers valuable lessons, insights into what doesn’t work, and opportunities to refine your approach. Instead of viewing failure as a dead-end, see it as a stepping stone that brings you closer to your goals. It's through these experiences that we build resilience, develop new strategies, and ultimately gain the wisdom needed to achieve our dreams. Remember, every successful person has a trail of failures behind them—what sets them apart is their ability to rise, adapt, and keep moving forward.

Finding Joy in the Ordinary

In our pursuit of grand dreams, we sometimes overlook the beauty in the mundane. There’s profound joy to be found in everyday moments—your morning coffee, a good book, or a walk in the park. These simple pleasures ground us and provide a sense of normalcy amidst the chaos of chasing bigger goals. They’re the backdrop against which our extraordinary dreams play out. So, don’t wait for the big breaks or the significant milestones to find happiness. Learn to appreciate the ordinary, and you’ll discover that life, in all its simplicity, can be extraordinarily fulfilling.

Conclusion

Chasing your dreams is a journey filled with twists, turns, detours, and a myriad of experiences that shape who you are. It’s not just about the destination but the growth and discoveries made along the way. Life's detours, those unexpected paths, often reveal passions and strengths you never knew you had. Celebrate your small wins, as they are the stepping stones to bigger achievements. Find joy in the ordinary, for it's in these simple moments that life’s true beauty often resides.

So, go ahead and pursue those childhood dreams. Keep the child in you alive, allowing yourself to dream big and approach life with a sense of wonder and curiosity. Grow up but Refuse to Grow up! By staying true to yourself, celebrating progress, and finding joy in the journey, you can create a fulfilling life that aligns with both your professional and personal dreams. And when failures come—and they will—embrace them as invaluable lessons, building resilience and wisdom with each setback.

Embrace the process, relish the journey, and remember—every step, whether forward or seemingly backward, is part of the unique story that only you can write. And who knows? Maybe in sharing your journey, you’ll inspire someone else to follow their dreams with the same passion and persistence.

I might be in the minority, but it feels hypocritical to think of myself being a father in the future telling my children to chase their dreams when i never did so myself. But what do I know? I’m still just a struggling, rambling optimist....for now anyway.

Here's to chasing dreams, childhood and the ones we pick up along the way!

This is my first article on here. Started as a bit of a rant but thought to share it. 

Let me know what you think! This is going to be the first of many as i document my thoughts, updates and experiences as i journey towards my goal of building a health tech company that can have a significant impact in healthcare globally.

Thanks for reading! If you read it to the end, i owe you a coffee (PS - I will not be held accountable to this)