What are you determined to be?

[Mr_B]

A very tricky question for me. (Potentially long block of text ahead, you have been warned.)

If you had asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up at, say, eight years old, I would've told you "zoologist" without blinking. Having always been fascinated with nature and animals, it seemed like a logical path to follow. So, at 14 (the age of high school enrollment in my country), I chose a gymnasium; where I live, gymnasiums are general knowledge high schools, as opposed to vocational schools that prepare you for a specific profession, so you essentially have to attend university after them. When I finished high school, I enrolled into a Faculty of sciences where I gained my bachelor, masters and, as of this year, PhD in biology, in addition to working there since 2015.

But. One of the biggest problems I feel we have as a collective society today is that humans are forced to choose careers that should sustain them for a lifetime at an age when they are utterly incapable of making a well rounded, carefully thought through decision. Or, at least, I feel this is true of myself. As time went by, I started to resent my job. Academia and science is absolutely a good career choice for many people, but not for me. I find myself feeling out of place, I am disillusioned by many of the practices of the people around me, and, crucially for my own sense of self worth, I feel like I'm not being useful at all, not contributing to society in any meaningful way. I'm using the job as a means of self preservation and nothing else.

I have drawn and written stories ever since I was a kid, but I am uncertain whether I could ever make it into a full career. The environment I live in sort of considers you... let's say strange if you ever wish to change your career. You're supposed to be thankful that you even have a job and just quietly grin and bear it until retirement: in my experience, rarely do people entertain the idea that, if you don't like your job, you should go ahead and find a new one. But I don't see myself living like that. I don't want to waste my life doing something that brings me no personal fullfillment and gives me no sense of value and contribution. I'm not saying that I can't do it - I just feel my potentials would be better utilized elsewhere.

Where exactly - I haven't a clue. So, I guess the answer to the question asked by the creator of the topic is: I'm still figuring it out. My one goal that I have, and that I would love to achieve, is to publish at least one book in my life. Any book, really - just leave some kind of imprint on the world that means something to me personally.

Sorry for going on for a bit, and sorry if all of this sounds whiny or boring. I just felt like putting it out there, and sharing my two cents.

TL;DR: Haven't a clue, hope to figure it out.

[Testaccount]

But. One of the biggest problems I feel we have as a collective society today is that humans are forced to choose careers that should sustain them for a lifetime at an age when they are utterly incapable of making a well rounded, carefully thought through decision.

I totally agree with you, and this is something I'm dealing with now. I studied a subject and took jobs where I can "earn" a living, but I'm far from happy. Right now, I'm trying to "fix" my life and get back on course.

I'm sure you'll figure out what you want to do, and I hope you find something that gives you the fulfillment you are looking for.

[Testaccount]

That's a good goal =)

[UbePie]

One of the biggest problems I feel we have as a collective society today is that humans are forced to choose careers that should sustain them for a lifetime at an age when they are utterly incapable of making a well rounded, carefully thought through decision

Even though I currently live in America I struggled with this too. Last two years of high school they start hounding you. If you don't mind me asking Mr. B do you reside in Germany? I have family over there, and lived there for a while and this sounds familiar.

Anyway as for the topic at hand, when I was 18 I wanted to be an artist. I got my AA in fine arts. But those two years where spent listening to people tell me that I will never gain a job in my field, and that I am getting a degree that is useless. I wasted two years of my life when I changed my major to psychology. I knew what I wanted to be when I was 18 and I should I have stuck to it. After getting a job in a behavioral health hospital, I snapped. I snapped the day a women with extreme depression left one of our art group therapy sessions and started crying. I talked to her, it's part of my job, she told me how she wished she had finished her degree in art instead of switching to psychology. She was a successful individual, but she wasn't happy. It hit close to home.

So what did I want? Money? Success? A respectful career? Or did I want to be happy?

I choose to be happy, switched my major back to Art history and hit the ground running. Per my mothers advice I published my comic online. Per my fathers advice I got an internship at an art museum. I'm currently taking a Portfolio class which is teaching me how to write grants, and apply to Artist Residencies and make an artist website. I'm apply for art shows, and will be in a curated show sometime in December that is connected to my portfolio class. It's a start, and I'm currently in starving artist mode, where we survive on my partners income mostly, but she's supportive and so are my parents. I wish I had never listened to the cousins, aunts, uncles and strangers that said I was getting a useless degree. I would have been done already if i hadn't.

[indagold]

Find a decent staff job in the animation/3D field with real benefits and a salary you can actually live on :L

[0beah]

I wanna be the very best~
Like no one ever was~

Pokemon intro reference aside. I'm aiming to be a "Creative Entrepreneur". Plan to establish multiple income streams and create a life that allows me to creatively express myself to the fullest. Its one of the reasons I'm interested in the business side of things with Art. Recently a lot of things are starting to 'click' for me.

For example I'm being to understand that a webcomic doesn't need to turn over revenue month after month but instead represents an opportunity to develop a social media following that you may be able to monetize at a later date.

Yeah... still have a lot to learn... but its exciting!

[TheInfinitePicture]

my goal is to become a storyteller, a writer, a director, someone who makes stories that people enjoy,

my big dream is to make a story in all major fields of media, writing, comics, film, television, animation, games, music, even theatre. i want to at least dip my toes into every facet of the creative world, i want to write to sustain myself financially sure, but i wouldnt stop trying to tell stories if it didn't make me a single penny.

i want to be a storyteller, and im determined to tell as many stories as possible, to be concise~

[natchevil]

I'm noticing that pattern that I've always noticed with artists.
I'm no different, I guess.

I am STILL told that my work, my art, my stories, are all useless because they don't make money. Oh, folks don't say that out loud, but they use the common language you've all heard.

"Your art is great. What are you going to do for a living?"

I'm not sure value was ever attached to creative endeavors.
Maybe in ancient Greece or something.

Still, I am determined to draw for the rest of my life.
Drawing is all I want to do.

When I have to job or earn money, it annoys me.
Money is used for sustaining life and nothing else.
I can't live on money.

[IdiotWithPencil]

my realistic dream: having a home with a good job and being happy =P
my unrealistic dream: owning a successful Latin american AAA video game studio.

[shazzbaa]

I like that one quote about giving yourself verbs instead of nouns, so that your sense of self isn't tied up in what you do. Instead of striving to be a writer, strive to write; saying "I am creating art" instead of "I am an artist," -- that sort of thing! I don't often remember to do this, but I try to keep this idea in mind.

So I can't say who or what I want to be, but Lord willing I'm very determined to tell my story! I realised a while ago that my goal really isn't to have a job in art, it's more about the specific work that I wanna make -- so if I have a day job that I can find some small amount of joy in and it gives me enough time to make the work I want to make, that seems like a really good outcome to me. ;u;

[XzynderVexymous]

Professional Manga Artist

[Mr_B]

@UbePie Germany? I wish! I'm from Serbia. And props to you, your story is something that I aspire to, in a way. Just living your life the way you know you should, without letting others dictate its course. Best of luck with your future ventures.

@shazzbaa You put it so, so well. Both paragraphs. Words to live by.

[joe_galindez]

I don't think I'd be adding anything new by mentioning my own life story.

• Oddball degree, check.
• Difficulty making it in the working world, check.
• Starving artist mode, check.

I'm sickened with the way the modern world works. I know the system works and I know things will get better but right now we're going through a rough patch. And I can't wait for the future.

Would anyone be interested in a crossover event? I don't mean with me specifically, but I've got this idea that I'd like to see in action. It's a way to generate buzz and cross-pollinate everyone's subscriber count. I know that similar things have been tried before, but this time there's a couple of new technologies involved.

[IdiotWithPencil]

I am STILL told that my work, my art, my stories, are all useless because they don't make money.

that's cause when someone hears artist they think Painters and comic book artist that, sadly, don't have a bunch of money and can be a really unstable job (except if you work for one of the big comic book companies like DC and Image), but they forget the other careers in the background that need art skills, like logo/marketing, concept artist in Movies and video games, story board artist in most animation studios plus background artist and character designers, their are many more but the list is so long that I would just bore ya

[Rhombik]

I like that one quote about giving yourself verbs instead of nouns, so that your sense of self isn't tied up in what you do. Instead of striving to be a writer, strive to write; saying "I am creating art" instead of "I am an artist," -- that sort of thing! I don't often remember to do this, but I try to keep this idea in mind.

I like this. Apparently, it's a good motivational tool for giving up bad stuff as well. Instead of saying "I can't blah blah blah" you say "I don't blah blah blah" so it's a decision rather than something forced on you. Maybe that's the same principle? Not, "I want to be a writer" but "I write".

I used to want to be a professional writer. I still kind of do but not in the same way. The way I imagined it was that I'd strive to write my first book then it would get published and I could write the next ones from home with the money from writing keeping me afloat.Then I made friends with published writers and they'd achieved what I wanted to achieve and still needed day jobs.

It was an eye opener.

So I thought it was better to get a job I wanted and could get now (which I did) and keep writing and drawing on the side. It's working out quite well I think. It's quite low maintenance so I spend about 20 hours a week on projects. Maybe something will come of it and maybe something won't but I've still done a lot of stuff.

[shaylafarley5]

I want to work for Pixar or own my own animation studio

[punkarsenic]

im determined to get top grades at my btec and at uni, and become a published graphic novellist!

[Nebulous]

Ever since I first saw 2d animated movies (disney and non-disney) I always wanted to draw and animate. I used to draw a lot when I was younger, but then I fell out of it for a few years but after I got my first tablet I came back to art. Now I'm really pushing to be an animator and concept artist for a game or animation studio, preferably Pixar or Laika (because Laika is f*cking awesome)

[LCT_m_a_d]

I want to be an influencer. I like doing memorable stuff and having stories to tell and lessons to share that motivate people to take a risk on what's in their heart, instead of just sticking with things that have a high probability of success.

[sandpaperdaisy]

You know, I looked at myself honestly and my answer was "I'm determined to get my work into Weird Tales and Chaosium. I'm determined to be the kind of person X, Y, Z famous artist I've followed forever would actually pay attention to and be buddies with."

Well that's bullshit, right? I'm 36, not in high school.

SO! My goal as of today is to be so satisfied with the work I'm doing that I genuinely do not care about, or need, particular people to notice and admire me. Running after a successful magazine or artist will do nothing for me if I'm not personally sucessful already.