Are there any adults who still do not know what they want to be when they "grow up"?
402390
Sure there are.  What I can say about those who job float is that sometimes they don't really know what to do and they try and find something that they'd like to do for the rest of their life.  I hope you're not too quick to judge them because I think that is braver than being stuck doing something because they are too cowardly to get out of familiar surroundings.  Stability doesn't equal happiness and for those who continue their search for it, they are the brave ones.
1087875
When I could make decisions based not on what was easy or fun but what was the right thing to do. When I could honestly put others needs ahead of my own , even when it was hard. When I realized wants and needs are two entirely different things. \nMature adult isn't a specific number age , it is something from the inside. Also a mature adult realizes they are fallible and they are not immortal.
990856
You actually never really know if you are in the right career.  You just make the best choices at the time.  And in today's world someone just starting out in the world of work can expect to change careers a few times.  My daughter who is 30, is going through her second career change now.  Another daughter who is 28 is about to enter her second career.  And two daughters who are in their 30's are well into second and third careers.\n\nAnd do you know something else?  I am retired, a grandma, and I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up!!  So don't worry about it too much and just get on with what feels right for now.
563493
Not going to college and earning a 4 year degree. I suffer for it now. I have a great life, wonderful hubby, beautiful son but I know I could be doing more career wise. I have friends who went all the way and are very successful now. I am envious...
1065068
HELL YES. It already seems like an eternity. I tell the kids not to be in such a rush to be an adult.. because it isn't all that great.
367721
I felt exactly like that after I had accomplished the "expected minimum criteria" of an outfacing happy life; the house, the family, the good job, etc.  \n\nI decided to tackle the things I wanted to do in this life, regardless of what people expected from me.  I went to an opera last summer and realized the best part of the opera was watching the violins.  So, I decided to take violin lessons!  Now I'm a middle-aged violin student walking right into my teacher behind the kids!  I don't care, it makes me happy and entertains me.\n\nDo what you want to do now, don't let anything stop you.
1025737
I prefer adulthood and never feel a desire to return to childhood, but there are a few things I miss.\n\nI miss not having to work for a living. I miss not having bills and student loans to pay. I miss all the free time I had in the summers and from not doing my homework. I miss going to a class on the first day of school knowing that I had already read the textbook from when my brother had the same class two years earlier. I miss winning first-place trophies in math competitions without having to make much effort. I miss being able to remember most of the events that had occurred in my life. I miss the feeling of equality that most kids had, at least before middle school. I miss having a computer that I actually knew how to program, even if it had "only" 64K of RAM. Perhaps above all else, I miss being able to imagine any future that I wanted, from becoming President of the United States to hitting the home run that wins the World Series to having children. Now I know which of those dreams will never come true, even though some of them have.\n\nChildhood wasn't all good, but it did have its advantages.
153336
Speaking as the parent of a young adult in college.No I wouldn't.Becouse I want my child to be happy,and only she can decide  what she wants to do with her life.
219377
Well, I'm middle-aged too (44); we're not ALL kids out here!\nOne thing that surprises me most at this stage of life is how far I've gone with very little education.  I'm merely a high-school graduate, but have a fun, interesting, well-paying job and a bright future.  I'm living proof that even the dumbest among us can succeed!\nAnother thing that surprises me is how screwy my friends' lives are.  Between divorces, dalliances, ventures into some of the...ahem...darker areas of life, and debt, some of my friends are really teetering on the crumbly edge!   I thought I had a monopoly on leading a screwed-up life!\nThe last thing that surprises me is how much I enjoy going back to school.  Last year I started taking pre-engineering courses at my local community college.  I'm very satisfied with my progress, and have something to look forward to when I retire in another 11 years or so.
395425
I think it's not so much that you don't know what you want to do, it's that you want to do too many things. I was told when I was in high school that the average person changes their career---not their job, their career--three times in their life, and that gifted kids change more often than that. That was more than twenty years ago, and it's even more true now.\n\nI had a friend who wanted to be an art major, but she couldn't afford the paints. Then she wanted to be a biology major, but ended up in political science instead. Even though she was a talented artist and could have been a scientist, she ended up being a high-ranking government official instead. Now she travels to Russia on an official government passport to help them keep track of their nuclear fuel. \n\nI have a BA in one subject, a master's in another, and a graduate certificate in a third. Come to think of it, I'm one research paper shy of a graduate certificate in a fourth subject. I should finish that one day. \n\nAnd I think it's safe to say I've had my fair share of career changes. There was a time in my life when my desire to expand my horizons drove my career decisions. Now, I'm at a time in my life where I want to be more settled and permanent. \n\nAt this time of your life, you shouldn't be trying to narrow yourself down to one career. You should be thinking about the top three, five, ten. I bet you'll find most of them need a college degree. \n\nAnd there are colleges for brilliant people who want to study everything. They're called liberal arts colleges, and most of the students in them take a long, long time to decide what to study. I changed my major three years after I graduated! I loved going to a liberal arts college and studying so many different subjects. You will, too.
473140
I suspect that nearly everyone eventually reaches the stage where they question what they're working toward, or try to find a greater meaning either in the work they do or an altogether different job or different field. You may want to check out a few books that address this issue. These were the ones I found particularly interesting:\n\nCareer Changing / Advice:\nWhat Color is Your Parachute (help in evaluating what career would be most fulfilling to you.)\nDo What You Are - Uses the MBTI (Myers-Briggs) to do the same as above\n\nPhilosophy of Work:\nWhat Should I do with My Life? Anecdotal stories about career switchers, and those who are seeking something greater than a mere job\nThe Joy of Not Working: An interesting philosophy on the working stiff that questions our priorities as it applies to the working world.
232627
As an adult who had a very tragic childhood, but grew up very stabile, I totally agree with you. You have the power, not as a child, but as an adult, to change your life. If you let your past control your future, then you have lost. You have the power inside to change yourself and your perseption of people. It may take some help from professinals but you have to make the first step.\n\n\nFYI: I had been abused everyway known to man and verybadly and I still am a normal, fully functioning adult.
148786
Because kids are learning who they are and they don't understand all the feelings inside of them... It can be a confusing process to become an adult.  \n\nRules of society and all the ideals that are around them - make it hard to figure out what is right and what is wrong and how to go about living thier lives... they are getting more freedom but with that comes more responsibility.  That can be painful to learn.
518672
It's a personal journey , everyone is different.  My best advice would be to NOT be afraid of what people think of you.  Remember always your life has to be for you, not anyone else.  Nobody can tell you how to "find" yourself, figuring that out is part of the whole process!  Look, hon, I'm 30, and I still haven't figured out who I am....  Good Luck!!
852789
i used to think that being 21 would mean i would be an 'adult' but i now realize that im far from grownup
805306
Although our families are a great influence in our upbringing and how we are raised \n\nAs an adult you sometimes have to break the hell away and just do what you want to do and what makes you happy. Sometimes parents arent supportive in our carreer choices and alot of times because they pay for our education we bend our desires their way but I say to follow your dreams and do what you want to do in life no matter whaty your parents dreams are for you. Maybe you will be making a mistake and they will have the opportunity to say I told you so so what it is your mistake to learn from. If they dobt like it so what this is what growing up and becoming an adult is.\n\nI wanted to go to schoo for law enforcement after highschool because I was married and a young mother my family was agaisnt it, and my parents refused to pay for my tution so I went into business management. Here I am 15 years later going back to school for Criminal Justice because thats what I really want to do. So if you want to waste you time doing what other people think is best for you then go ahead but I garuntee your true desire will never go away. Dont waste your time just do what you want even if you regret it later & its hard work,at lease you would have gotten it out of your system
223730
It is a reality check for many people as they head into their thirties. It may be scary for some people because they begin the reflect upon their goals and they may find that they are not at the place they pictured themselves at 29. Also, there is societal pressure to have a career and family established at this point in your life. If you have not established these things, it could be scary because you may begin to feel like you are trailing behind everyone.