"What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?" #careerquestionfail
by Trevor Calton
One of the first questions we’re asked as kids is "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
Astronaut. Teacher. CEO. Firefighter.
The world teaches us early that we need a clean, simple answer. One box to check. One identity to stick with.
But here’s the problem...
Most people aren’t just one thing.
And trying to force yourself into one role, one industry, or one story… That’s what keeps so many people stuck, frustrated, and doubting themselves.
Let’s Reframe the Question
Forget “What do you want to be?” Try asking:
“What do I want to do next?”
That shift might sound subtle, but it changes everything.
It moves you from pressure to possibility. From future-perfect fantasy to real-time action.
Here’s Why the Old Question Doesn’t Work
When you’re forced to pick a single identity, you start filtering every choice through that lens:
- “I studied marketing, so I guess I have to stay in marketing.”
- “I’ve always been in operations. It’s too late to pivot.”
- “I should be further along by now.”
None of that is helping you grow. It’s keeping you stuck.
So... What Do You Want to Do Next?
That question opens the door to:
- Trying new things without a five-year commitment
- Exploring side interests that might turn into opportunities
- Saying yes to something that energizes you, even if it doesn’t “fit the plan”
You don’t need to reinvent your whole life overnight. You just need to take the next right step.
If You Feel Like You’ve Outgrown Your Role... You Probably Have
And that’s not failure. That’s growth.
Your career isn’t supposed to be a straight line. It’s a living thing, one that adapts as you do.
The Bottom Line
You don’t have to know exactly where it’s all going. You just have to know what feels aligned right now.
Stop trying to be what you said you’d be when you were 17. Start asking what excites you now, and follow that thread.
This Is the Heart of CBIO
Career Building from the Inside Out is built around this exact shift. It helps you get clear on what you care about, what you’re great at, and how to build your path from that place, not from someone else’s script. See what’s inside the program
Want to bring this mindset to your team or classroom? Book me to speak
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