What should I be when I grow up?

It’s normal to wonder, ‘What should I be when I grow up?’ Especially as a teen. The good news is that it’s okay to ask those big questions. Finding the answer isn’t as complicated as you might think. 

Here are a few ways to explore your interests and learn which path is right for you. 

Explore your passions

The first step is to think about what you enjoy. After all, you want to spend your adult life doing something that makes you excited. 

Take time to think about what you really like doing — including school subjects, hobbies, and organized activities.

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Whether or not specific passions come to mind, trying new things is also a great idea. You never know what you’ll love that you haven’t tried yet. Our advice? Look for online courses, clubs, or volunteer opportunities. Alternatively, ask a friend or family member to learn a new skill with you.

Identify your strengths

It’s important to think about what you enjoy and what you’re good at.

That doesn’t mean you can only pursue careers related to your best school subjects. However, recognizing personal strengths can help you find a career that you’ll enjoy and excel in. 

Let’s see this in action. Imagine you’re great at giving presentations, and you’re on the varsity soccer team. You also make money through your tutoring side hustle. Given these strengths, you may want to consider becoming a teacher at a school where you can also coach student-athletes. 

Let’s look at another example. Imagine you’re great at science and plan to take a few AP science classes while in high school. However, math is your favorite subject. You may want to consider pursuing a career where you can use both your science skills and interest in math — such as engineering, physics, or pre-med. 

Seek guidance and mentorship

A great way to figure out what you want to be when you grow up is by talking to people who did exactly that. Grew up. Think about the trusted adults in your life: parents, teachers, guidance counselors, career counselors, older siblings, or coaches. Do any of them have careers you're interested in? Have any of them accomplished things you admire? If so, consider asking them to be your mentor. Mentor-mentee relationships may involve regular talks about your future, shadowing the mentor at work, or even a casual relationship that provides a safe space to ask questions. 

Whether or not they have a career you’re interested in, the adults in your life may have valuable advice about pursuing various life paths. Which, btw, don’t have to be career-related. If someone is a parent, avid volunteer, or does something else you admire — talk to them about how they got there.

Need help finding mentorship? Here are a few resources to get you started.

• Boys and Girls Club of America

• Girl’s Mentorship

• High school guidance counselor or career counselor

• College career center

• Local mentorship organizations — Search for organizations in your area that match young adults with mentors

Research different career options

Still asking yourself, “What do I want to be when I grow up?” That’s totally normal. It takes a while to figure out which career path is right for you. And sometimes a little trial-and-error. Don’t worry; you can always change your mind along the way! 

Online and in-person research is a great way to learn more about the careers that interest you. 

Consider these four factors to be one giant Venn diagram: 

• Interests: What do you enjoy doing?

• Skills: What are you good at?

• Job market: What is the job market like? Is a particular career field growing? How hard will it be to get a certain job?

• Values: Does a career path align with your personal values, such as work-life balance, causes, and beliefs?

Think about which careers sit at the center of your Venn diagram. That means they align with each of the four categories above. Spend time researching each one. This will help you learn about each career path's day-to-day responsibilities, required schooling, and job prospects.

Everyone’s Venn diagram changes over time, so don’t overthink it. It’s normal for interests, skills, job trends, and personal values to change as you get older.

Greenlight tip: The key to achieving life goals? Make sure they follow the S.M.A.R.T. framework. Bonus points if you outline a plan to accomplish each one. 

Embrace the journey

Ultimately, what and who you want to be when you grow up is up to you. You’re in the driver’s seat. So look for new experiences, take calculated risks, and follow your passions. 

When you’re ready, Greenlight is here to help you feel empowered about your financial goals. Because when you’re confident about your finances, you can make more informed life and career decisions. Dream job? Here you come 🥳