As I was driving to work this morning, I saw a bumper sticker that said,

Remember what you wanted to be.

It made me smile. 

What do YOU want to BE when you grow up? If you're a kid, you are always being asked that question, right? By adults, of course. I used to hate that question, and I’m betting you do, too. For one thing, the question implies that you are nothing right now. You will only BE something once you grow up.

Let's face it. Adults who don't know what to say to young people use this question as a fall-back conversation starter. I've probably done it myself. But it's a dud. Sure, we all know a kid who decided at age 3 to become a hedge fund manager (whatever that is), who has geared his entire life to making that happen, and who will, in fact, become a hedge fund manager. (That's not a gardener, by the way ... it's some kind of financial investment career which is totally beyond my comprehension. Seems to pay well, though.) But most kids don't know, and I would say can't know what they will BE when they grow up until they get there.

When I was a kid, I certainly didn't dream of becoming a senior managing editor at a children's educational publishing company. For one thing, I had no idea such a job existed. When I was in the 5th grade, I must have read a book about King Tut's tomb, because I wanted to become an archaeologist when I grew up. By 7th grade, I turned my sites upward and fell in love with the stars. Aha! I would be an astronomer. When an adult asked me what I wanted to be, that was my answer. By high school, my answer was "a psychologist" or "a sociologist." (I had no idea what a sociologist actually did, but the answer seemed to make everyone happy.) Needless to say, I never came close to becoming an archaeologist, astronomer, psychologist, or sociologist.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't think about your future and begin sorting out a plan for your life. But rather than deciding what you want to BE -- (chances are, you will not be the next LeBron James, Lindsay Lohan, or even the next American Idol ... sorry) -- pay close attention to who you ARE. What are your talents? What do you enjoy doing? What comes easily to you?  Do you like tinkering with stuff … taking things apart to see how they work? Do you like organizing events, telling people what to do, and making things happen? In phys. ed, are you the one who’s always in there -- making the shots, hitting the ball, racing around the track -- or are you the one who's faking it on the sidelines and praying that no one notices you? Do you always sell more Girl Scout cookies than anyone else does, or are you too shy to sell any of that wrapping paper for the school fund raiser? (I once got an F in a high school journalism assignment because I was too shy to sell ad space for the school newspaper.)

Figure out who you are, what your strong points are, what brings you joy, and build on those things. Wanting is not enough. Practice, take lessons, read books, explore online, and most of all, like the commercial says, just do it.

When I was a kid, writing always came easily to me. When other kids groaned at research paper assignments -- well, I groaned too -- but at least I was pretty sure I could ace the thing.  (Unlike, say, math tests.) But I thought a writer could only be one thing -- a book author. I figured that was as likely as discovering King Tut's tomb, so I didn't pursue it. (At least, not until much later.)

There's a universe of careers out there that you don't even know about yet, so don't try to narrow your choices. Figure out who you ARE. Who you should BE will reveal itself all in good time.