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Study finds out how many grown-ups actually achieved their childhood dream jobs

KidPresident
KidPresident

What do you want to be when you grow up? Chances are you have asked or were asked that question when you were a kid, and your childhood aspirations were probably limitless: A vet! A rock star! A dinosaur!

But how many of us actually achieve our childhood ambition?

A recent study by career training resource Trade Schools, Colleges and Universities surveyed more than 2,000 grown-ups to find out how many actually followed through on their childhood dreams. The results were less than optimistic.

[Photo: trade-schools.net]
[Photo: trade-schools.net]

Nearly 80 per cent of respondents did not realize their childhood career aspirations, with only 21 per cent reporting that they did.

A closer look at how career goals shifted while in school sheds some light on the huge disparity between both groups, and what might have changed the would-have-been singers’, presidents’ and professional gummy bear taste testers’ minds.

According to the survey, the top career choices of elementary school students included pro athlete, astronaut, actor/actress and singer – choices that leaned closer to fantasy than reality.

[Photo: trade-schools.net]
[Photo: trade-schools.net]

To become an astronaut however, would require overcoming astronomically slim odds. During a recent recruitment, NASA selected only eight candidates from 6,300 applications. Becoming a pro athlete isn’t a walk in the park either. Only one in 8,926 male high school basketball players make it to the NBA and only one in 12,114 female high school players make the cut for WNBA.

However, as kids enter middle and high school, they start to realize that the chances of being the next Steph Curry, Beyonce or Angelina Jolie aren’t likely or as appealing, and opt for more realistic roles like scientist, teacher, lawyer and writer.

By high school, goals of becoming a pro-athlete drops to the bottom of the list while options like writer, engineer, scientist and professor rise to the top. Computer programmer also just cracks the top 10.

[Photo: trade-schools.net]
[Photo: trade-schools.net]

But what about those people who actually chased down their childhood dream and made it a reality? Of the 21 per cent who did, a resounding 9 out of 10 say they are happy in their role.

As for those who chose an alternative career path, not to worry. A solid 7 out of 10 said they love their job.

Did you end up achieving your childhood dream job? Let us know by tweeting us @YahooStyleCA.