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Article created by: Mindaugas Balčiauskas
I always wanted to be an actor until I realized everything that the business side of the industry entailed. Without having wealth and nepotism on my side (and no desire to get a nose job), I realized there might be a career path out there that’s more gentle on my mental health.Sometimes, we romanticize things that we aren’t perfectly suited for, and that's okay! One curious Reddit user recently asked others to share things they dreamed of doing their whole lives, only to realize they actually hated them, and hundreds of people weighed in. Read on to find some of their most honest responses, as well as a chat with the person who sparked this conversation in the first place, and take this as a friendly reminder that you can always change your mind!
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#1
Join the military. 1/10 would not recommend it. The only good that came out of it was being able to say I traveled and lived in a foreign country and I could have done that on my own. Its the most toxic workplace on Earth and for women, it's a real s**t show of sexual predators, misogyny and abuse by ignorant, immature young men who have -0- respect for women as a whole who are given far too much responsibility and power long before they have the brains or wisdom to use it.
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#2
Being an EMT
I had planned on it being my lifelong career since middle school. I loved the medical field and wanted to save lives but knew I wouldn’t have the stamina to get through medical school.
I got into training as soon as I graduated high school and I was top of my class in the educational sense, but as soon as I started doing ride-alongs everything just kind of fell apart on me.
I didn’t fit in well with the firefighters, which sounds stupid but I think I really needed that brotherhood if I was going to survive in that field. The real problem, however, was my empathy. I knew quickly that I would not be able to see people on their worst days everyday. I could deal with broken bones and blood, but I hadn’t prepared myself for the screams.
On my third ride-along I responded to a teenage su**ide, and that was it for me. I work for a museum now lol.
#3
Being the boss of people. Boss is a title, but being an effective leader of people is an emotionally draining, often thankless roller coaster.
#5
When I was young my dream was to be a fashion model and at seventeen after my parents approval I did it from the ages of 17-23. It was not what I had dreamt of, it was worse. I literally starved myself to look a certain way, only did cardio and light weights in the gym and was constantly critiqued on my body, looks, skin, hair. I took a semester off of university to recover after developing severe anxiety and depression.
#6
I once had a chat with an Uber driver in LA about her dream and how it didn’t turn out as she expected.
Born and raised in Moldova, she grew up dreaming of being a politician so she could one day make a positive impact on her country. She studied hard and made it into a nice university, but once the first set of finals came, the teacher faced the class and said, “To those who studied, good job. To those who didn’t, a C is $300, a B is $400, and an A in the class is $500.”
At that point she realized her country was corrupt beyond what she could ever hope to fix in her lifetime and immediately dropped out.
A few years later she won a lottery to obtain a visa to move to the US. She took her mom and brother, who is now able to follow his own dream of producing Maldovan music at a professional level and is becoming increasingly popular in their homeland and surrounding countries.
#9
Traveling for work. You spend a lot of time in hotels and rarely get the opportunity to see anything besides that due to flight schedules. And being hungover on an airplane is an awful experience.
#10
I changed my name. When the name change was accepted and I received the letter with my new name on it I freaked out and changed it back the same day.
#11
All my life I wanted to make cartoons.
I fought with tooth and nail to reach the top.
Then I interned for an old studio in Burbank specializing in cartoons about a *certain yellow family.*
Then, after college, I became a mechanic and never looked back.
#12
Not me, but my first girlfriend when i was 18. She had always wanted to be an eye doctor. Had been her dream for years. Graduated undergrad, got accepted to Optometry school. Graduated with great grades. Got a job ... and within a year or so realized she didn't want to spend the rest of her life asking " which is better, #1 or #2." Went back to school and became a nurse for traumatic brain injuries. She's much happier now. Still does optometry on the side for extra money.
#13
Being a cop. I quit after 6 months.
Typical story if a kid growing up in a sh*thole that had a cop “big brother”. He made me feel better about myself and gave me courage/confidence etc so I always grew up wanting to make the world a better place and help out the kids growing up like I did. When I got in I realized that my department cared more about the letter of the law and less about the spirit of the law. When I would take an opportunity to teach someone why they were doing bad instead of punishing them, I got punished. I put too many people in cuffs that had called me for help (sending the image of if you call for help your going to jail) than I care to admit and I just couldn’t do it anymore. I’m sure there are better departments out there but this killed it for me.
#14
Having endless time to read, watch tv, do hobbies. I had four foot/ankle surgeries in as many years, that required months each of recuperation in a recliner with my foot elevated. Not painful, but SO BORING. There really is only so much tv you can watch, books you can read, hobbies you can practice, etc. I got to the point that I was sleeping endlessly and pointlessly.
#15
I grew up with my dream career path being to become a police officer, and eventually a detective hopefully. This lasted up into college when I started the process of doing ride alongs and what not. Thats when I learned 95% of the job is ruining people's lives instead of helping or saving anyone. Now I do tech support and life is misery but at least I actually help people now and then.
#17
Personal training/strength coaching. I told myself I was going to find, support, and coach the next Arnold for years, but I was just stuck with a geriatric population and people who constantly thought my degree in exercise science was a google search or the right Instagram post away. A THIGH GAP IS NOT A FITNESS GOAL. GO TO THERAPY.
#18
Being a Chef, I left highschool in year 10 too get a cert ||| in commerical cookery as I loved cooking and making dishes at home. Loved it for the first few months than realised how draining it is. I do split shifts 9:00am-2:30pm than 5:00pm-9 sometimes 9:30pm. Its Exhausting after doing it for 4 years. You loose your appetite completely. I recently had a knee injury and have been off for a few weeks its really made my anxiety and depression calm down after not being torn too bits by chefs who have had 20+ years of experience and 'know' everything. Its making me realise Ive chosen the wrong career choice.
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