When young, like most I had lots of different ideas about the career I would like to achieve as an adult. While I would change my mind constantly, I knew I wanted to work for myself and run my own business. I also wanted to work in the entertainment industry. A behind the scenes job, perhaps starting as a runner and then finding a career path in the TV and Film industry. Then hopefully combining these two aspirations by going freelance and working for myself.
I grew up in the South of England quite near the famous Shepperton studios, known for many blockbusters including its work on Star Wars. London was also not far on the train which is where most TV and Film was based at the time.
I remember feeling so jealous of those at school and college who were able to do work experience in this field.
I’ve never achieved either of my dreams as a career. College opened up a work experience opportunity in a travel agent, which lead to a career in travel for about 18 years. I later made a conscious decision to change industry and work in logistics.
As a teenager I lived in a world where your parents had often had one job or had worked for a firm or industry for their entire career. It was also an age where you were encouraged to perhaps follow a more traditional route and career path than attempt to work in entertainment.
I cannot blame anyone else but myself but the point has to be if you have a dream, follow it and keep trying.
I fell into a bit of a rut and as work experience in travel opened up opportunities for a Saturday job, it then lead to full time work. A role and job that I never wished to pursue in all honesty, though I did enjoy working as a manager having studied business and finance.
I did attempt to find work in my chosen career path and did write to Shepperton Studios, MTV and the BBC in the UK. The difficulty is that I probably did not try enough and allowed the initial rejection to stop me pursuing dreams. I wrongly or rightly believed I needed to get into such a role quickly after college while still young. I should have kept trying. Perhaps I also worried too much about practicalities, worrying about if successful, how I would get to job locations etc. Don’t dream, believe in yourself and work out exactly what you want to do and how you’re going to do it. Do any alternative avenues exist to pursue your dreams? Can you train and build up your skillset more?
Certainly in my day, career advisors and job centres were just interested in getting you any job that filled a placement, than actually helping you focus your skillset and work out how to break into your chosen career. That was my experience. But perhaps that’s the point, to achieve dreams you sometimes need to be in total control of your own destiny.
If you’re young and you want to achieve anything in life the only person that can stop your dreams in my opinion may turn out to be yourself. And you’re never too old to keep trying.
And if you are in a position to help others live their dream, encourage them to never give up and offer any support or advice that you can.
Live your dreams…
