I don't know what to do when I get older.

[TheNerdAL]

Yes, I'm 18 already, but I don't know what to do as a career. A part of me wants to be somebody and make cartoons and movies, another part of me wants to make a restaurant that I think never has been done before and will be successful, then another part of me wants to work with technology since I love it so much.

Basically, since I was a kid, I always had ideas of things that I always wanted to do. For example. I wrote a book in middle school, in High School, I thought of a really sad idea for a movie that would be great animated. Also, in High school, I thought of an idea for a restaurant that hasn't been done before and could be successful.

I'm all over the place right now.

[Dangertux]

Congratulations -- you're just young. Take this time to explore your interests get as much experience as you can doing what you want to do, the career thing will come later.

[QIII]

Let's see. 18.

At less than 1/3 of my life to date, I thought I would be a wealthy architect. Then a mechanical engineer. Then (egad) an Evangelical pastor (but I went back to being a Catholic -- and later dropped that too). Then it was a Physicist. Ended up with degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science and spend a great deal of time in the Army and had the great displeasure of killing people. Then I was a business executive with a chainsaw. Then I settled down to get back to developing software.

A bit of wisdom: Nothing - nothing at all - can be predicted. Just pick a direction and get moving. You don't have to keep moving in that direction. You can change directions when the mood strikes you. You may end up in a land far from the one you set out for. Don't fret. You don't have to have the entire plan right now. Just enjoy the ride and take the opportunities where you find them.

Oh. And act grumpy with your grandchildren. They expect that. Just laugh inside. :)

[winh8r]

A bit of wisdom: Nothing - nothing at all - can be predicted. Just pick a direction and get moving. You don't have to keep moving in that direction. You can change directions when the mood strikes you. You may end up in a land far from the one you set out for. Don't fret. You don't have to have the entire plan right now. Just enjoy the ride and take the opportunities where you find them.


That is good advice , and if you listen to other people who have set out to be one thing and ended up doing another, you will find that in most of them they were happiest when they were doing something that they enjoyed.It is not always the money and the success that are important in life.

One quote I always liked:



What's money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do.
Bob Dylan

You are young , spend some time finding out who you are and as Dangertux says, the career thing will come later.

Good luck in whatever you chose to do.

[CharlesA]

Congratulations -- you're just young. Take this time to explore your interests get as much experience as you can doing what you want to do, the career thing will come later.
+1. I don't think I could have said it any better.

[Gremlinzzz]

18>>>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNF2KNcRm-U
:popcorn:

[MisterGaribaldi]

You could take up being a gigolo and live in Paris.

I think what people above are trying to tell you is that you shouldn't try to grow up too fast. Life is worth living, so live it!

[LowSky]

Let's see. 18.

At less than 1/3 of my life to date, I thought I would be a wealthy architect. Then a mechanical engineer. Then (egad) an Evangelical pastor (but I went back to being a Catholic -- and later dropped that too). Then it was a Physicist. Ended up with degrees in Mathematics and Computer Science and spend a great deal of time in the Army and had the great displeasure of killing people. Then I was a business executive with a chainsaw. Then I settled down to get back to developing software.

A bit of wisdom: Nothing - nothing at all - can be predicted. Just pick a direction and get moving. You don't have to keep moving in that direction. You can change directions when the mood strikes you. You may end up in a land far from the one you set out for. Don't fret. You don't have to have the entire plan right now. Just enjoy the ride and take the opportunities where you find them.

Oh. And act grumpy with your grandchildren. They expect that. Just laugh inside. :)


This sounds like one amazing tale.

[JDShu]

A bit of wisdom: Nothing - nothing at all - can be predicted. Just pick a direction and get moving. You don't have to keep moving in that direction. You can change directions when the mood strikes you. You may end up in a land far from the one you set out for. Don't fret. You don't have to have the entire plan right now. Just enjoy the ride and take the opportunities where you find them.


Highlighted in bold is something I consider extremely important, and the flip side of this is an idea that I've been championing lately. Don't be directionless! You can always change your direction, but only if you have one. I was directionless after graduating from (a relatively prestigious) college, and I was doing very little for almost a year. It took me another year while doing volunteer work to finally choose something. Since then, things came together surprisingly easily.

[Lokireloaded]

Do some traveling (Especially outside the US). You will learn a lot about the world and a lot about yourself.

[uRock]

Do all three.

[TheNerdAL]

Highlighted in bold is something I consider extremely important, and the flip side of this is an idea that I've been championing lately. Don't be directionless! You can always change your direction, but only if you have one. I was directionless after graduating from (a relatively prestigious) college, and I was doing very little for almost a year. It took me another year while doing volunteer work to finally choose something. Since then, things came together surprisingly easily.

Ah, thanks! Guess I'll go in the media direction.

[bab1]

Yes, I'm 18 already, but I don't know what to do as a career. A part of me wants to be somebody and make cartoons and movies, another part of me wants to make a restaurant that I think never has been done before and will be successful, then another part of me wants to work with technology since I love it so much.

Basically, since I was a kid, I always had ideas of things that I always wanted to do. For example. I wrote a book in middle school, in High School, I thought of a really sad idea for a movie that would be great animated. Also, in High school, I thought of an idea for a restaurant that hasn't been done before and could be successful.

I'm all over the place right now.

You have the one thing that most struggle to find all their lives: An idea! Being creative is such an advantage. You will probably have multiple careers in you life. Don't be afraid to try them all. Be a snob, go to college. Life only expands at your age.

[dave2001]

At 18 I was a lot like you! I decided to go to college and get a science degree (with an art minor), because most of the things I wanted to do involved one or the other.

Beginning at 20, I had health problems which degenerated until I became deathly ill for several years. I recovered, but the whole ordeal changed my priorities.

Being sick and laying in a hospital bed for months at time, along with a few "close calls" will change your perspective on life.

What I learned is basically this: Be Happy! Enjoy Life!

No matter where you are, or what your doing, things can almost always be worse, so go ahead and enjoy whatever there is to enjoy in your current situation. Nothing external can ever really make you happy, because that feeling comes from inside you. Sounds a bit corny, but it's actually true.

I'd definitely suggest college. It's not really important what degree. The process itself helps you learn how to learn. Meet people, do new things, travel when you can. Push your own boundaries and get to know yourself better.

[BertN45]

Ignore the career thoughts. Choose what you really like to do. That will give you the energy and pleasure in work and life to excel. The career will follow as a natural byproduct.

[as2000]

18? :shock:

That was so long ago.

For now enjoy life as sometimes just doing so will expose what you are meant to do. If you worry about what to do or spend too much time pondering this question, you may miss the opportunity to let it just reveal itself.

Be happy!

[MisterGaribaldi]

Do some traveling (Especially outside the US). You will learn a lot about the world and a lot about yourself.

Wait a minute. You mean to tell me there *are* countries besides the U.S.? Where do they fit?

[mips]

One quote I always liked:


What's money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do.
Bob Dylan


I'll see your Dylan and raise you Cat Stevens,


Father
It's not time to make a change,
Just relax, take it easy.
You're still young, that's your fault,
There's so much you have to know.
Find a girl, settle down,
If you want you can marry.
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy.

I was once like you are now, and I know that it's not easy,
To be calm when you've found something going on.
But take your time, think a lot,
Why, think of everything you've got.
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not.

[t0p]

OP: pursue your movie thing. To do that, it'd be a good idea to go to movie school, so you know how the industry works, then maybe work on other people's movies for a while, before a serious movie-maker will take your pitch seriously. But if the movie thing is really important to you (which it must be, if you've been pondering it for years) those are the stepping stones you'll have to jump around on.

Don't expect your first movie to make you rich. It doesn't really matter how great the idea is, you won't make much if any profit (you'll probably make a loss). But that first idea is your first step on the way to becoming a grrreat movie creator. So keep thinking up other ideas for movies, you're gonna have to make a whole bunch of 'em before you are genuinely "successful".

Also, do evening classes or correspondent courses on tech so you've got the tech thing to fall back on. Breaking into the movie industry is notoriously ill-paid, so it'd be good to have something up your sleeve.

Leave the restaurateur thing until you're older. It'd be a nice nest-egg for your (hopefully early) retirement, or to help generate extra income when you're "between movies". If you opened your restaurant in the LA area, most of your waiting staff will be wannabe actors, and you'll be a wannabe director! Who knows what might emerge from such a mixture?

[haqking]

All you need to worry about is sunscreen

Baz Luhrmann - Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTJ7AzBIJoI


Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’99
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be
it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by
scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
than my own meandering
experience…I will dispense this advice now. Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not
understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded.
But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and
recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before
you and how fabulous you really looked….You’re not as fat as you
imagine. Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as
effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing
bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that
never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm
on some idle Tuesday. Do one thing everyday that scares you Sing Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with
people who are reckless with yours. Floss Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes
you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with
yourself. Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you
succeed in doing this, tell me how. Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements. Stretch Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your
life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they
wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year
olds I know still don’t. Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone. Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children,maybe
you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky
chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…what ever you do, don’t
congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your
choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s. Enjoy your body,
use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people
think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever
own.. Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room. Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them. Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly. Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for
good. Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the
people most likely to stick with you in the future. Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you
should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and
lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you
knew when you were young. Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live
in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel. Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will
philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize
that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were
noble and children respected their elders. Respect your elders. Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund,
maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one
might run out. Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will
look 85. Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who
supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of
fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the
ugly parts and recycling it for more than
it’s worth. But trust me on the sunscreen…

[Grenage]

Hah, I still don't know what I really want to do, and I'm nearly 31. The only advice I could really give is, don't limit yourself. People are capable of so much, but only if they push themselves.

Most of the people you see lounging around in front of the TV for 4+ hours a day, complaining that they don't have the energy or motivation - they usually don't have the motivation or energy because they are lounging around for 4+ hours a day.

Read, learn, socialise, express, travel, and experiment.

As far as I'm aware, few people say "I wish I'd never bothered studying".

[GraeW]

And at 46 I'm still trying to find my niche also. Pursue the media idea - go to school for it is an excellent idea. Don't expect to get rich at it - ever. Should your movie idea become reality, you might see the millions and be the next Lucas, Spielberg, or Cameron.

There is a lot of good advice already passed along, and if I had half that advice when I was your age - I might have stuck out a media career "way back when" instead of trying to start over now. I've been a musician, a navy submariner, a computer helpdesk and network installation technician, a shipping agent, and a television news producer, cameraman, and audio operator. I've lived on both coasts, but am now back to my roots in Pennsylvania. My favorite job was probably the tv studio, and I have returned to college to (finally finish) my degree. But I'm not still in the studio, and am finding myself dabbling with computers again, making it tempting to go back into technology.

Many of my direction changes have been forced due to extenuating circumstances - some have not. The biggest piece of advice anyone has or will ever give you is already stated: pick a direction and move. The only thing I can add to that is to be strong in your resolve. If it truly is your passion to see the movie created, then by all means do everything you can to get it made, even if it takes you another ten years (or more).

[rg4w]

Yes, I'm 18 already, but I don't know what to do as a career. A part of me wants to be somebody and make cartoons and movies, another part of me wants to make a restaurant that I think never has been done before and will be successful...
Funny you should write that: a friend of mine did exactly that, moved to LA and worked for a few years on what became Oscar-nominated movies at Disney, then went on to become one of LA's most celebrated chefs.

The restaurant biz is a tough one, and it'll help to get schooling at Cordon Bleu or other school with a similar reputation so you'll have the street cred to get the financing needed for such a venture.

Movies are almost easier in the sense that you can start putting your reel together on your own, making shorts and sending them around to festivals with nothing more than a couple of good computers and a lot of time and talent. It's a tough biz here in LA LA Land, but the market for animators, and even motion graphics specialists, has so many opportunities on the web in addition to movies/TV that a talented soul who's dedicated can do well.

But I think the others here have hit on the more important points: don't worry. Really.

Get at least a 4-year degree in something you like, as the college experience is good for the soul and these days a Bachelor's is the minimum to get an interview in darn near any field worth working in.

And some travel never hurts; hard to describe how it broadens the mind, but it does, tremendously. Personally I get the most out of traveling in the wilderness, but the world's cities offer infinite learning opportunities as well.

But the main thing is just to do whatever the hell you want, with a relaxed and confident mind. It'll work out in the end if you don't worry about it and just do it.

Yes, you'll make mistakes, some of them costly. Every business owner I know has at least one failure behind them. Happens. But you'll go crazy trying to avoid mistakes, and the most world-changing people have been the ones who just move beyond their last mistake to go make some more. It's just how we all learn. :)

You'll likely have at least three careers during your life, and if any of them are at all related to your graduating major you'll be in a minority.

So dive in as your heart leads you. Work takes up too much of our days not to love it with all your heart.

Follow your bliss.

[Gremlinzzz]

You are older just live your life .if you have a idea do it'just go with the flow.:popcorn:

Flow is the mental state of operation in which a person in an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and success in the process of the activity.

[eriktheblu]

There is a saying along the lines of "a wrong decision now is better than a perfect decision next week".

I joined the Army when I was 17 because I was sick of living with mom and dad, and retail didn't really suit me. Thought I'd give it 4 years, then get into communications. 4 years became 7, 7 became 13, and 13 is now 15 looking toward 26. Wasn't what I intended, but ended up being one of the best decisions I ever made.

I did some moonlighting as a musician several years back, something I would have considered a dream job. We played 3 hour shows about once a month at bars, or events earning $400 each time split 6 ways. That's 3 hours of play time. Also involved was set up (drums, PA, instruments, and lighting), tear down, loading the gear into the van and travel to the gig. Outside of gig night, there was weekly band practice, individual practice, equipment maintenance, and continuous advertising (mostly handled by the guitarist).All of us had a great time, but there is a ton of work involved. It's definitely possible to make a living that way, but there are many easier ways. The lesson here: know that even the perfect job requires you to work. If you're self employed, you have to work 10 times as hard.

Only regrets:
1. Being young and stupid. This unfortunately is unavoidable. I will give you no advice in this matter because it won't do any good.
2. Marrying the wrong person. This goes back to #1
3. Debt I didn't need. Ties in to 1 and 2.

[mamamia88]

Me neither and I just graduated college. I have a part time job but I find I'm the happiest I can be when I have the entire day ahead of me where I can do whatever I want. A full time job seems to get in the way of exploring the world and my interests. I don't want to be stuck in the same room 8 hours a day when the world is so big that I could never see everything if I traveled 24/7 for the rest of my life

[forrestcupp]

Start a lawn ornament manufacturing business. You could produce gazing balls and bird baths. There's a big demand for that.