<p>All I know is that I do not have the potential nor drive for professional or graduate school.
I am pretty much in square one when it comes to knowing what career to get into. I have no idea what to do because nothing I like is considered realistic for a career. I can't afford to "follow my dreams" because if I fail, nobody will boost me back up or support me in any substantial way. I think the only people who can afford to "follow their dreams" are either rich or very well connected.
How do I set myself up for reality? Meaning, how to I adjust to having a boring job and life in general?</p>
<p>For one thing, you can change your attitude.</p>
<p>You don't have to be rich to follow your dreams, you have to be smart and motivated, and you don't seem motivated. </p>
<p>My dream is to be a lawyer, I plan to accomplish that by doing well in undergrad, acing the LSATs, going to a good Law school, and studying hard so I can pass the bar and become a lawyer. I'm not rich, I'm smart and capable and don't expect things to be handed to me. </p>
<p>If your dream is to sit on your ass for the rest of your life and be served lemonade on your yacht, then yeah, you're in for a miserable life, because you'll never be happy. If you set reasonable goals for yourself and work hard, you may end up successful and happy. What are your goals? What are your dreams? What is it you want which is incredibly unrealistic? Few people are rich and well-connected, but successful people are often intelligent and hard-working. What you want might not necessarily be out of reach, unless you're after something ridiculous. You have to be realistic as well - if you wanna be an Astronaut, but you're not too bright, it ain't gonna happen, even if you think it's exciting. Don't settle for less, don't tell yourself you have to live a boring life and have a boring job. If you're competent and not too lazy, it doesn't hafta happen.</p>
<p>I want to write. When I say I want to write, I don't mean sitting at home all day, trying to write a bestseller, but in a way I can utilize it for my career. I want to write novels, nonfiction and even screenplays, but the odds of getting any appreciation at all for it is low unless you are very, very talented.</p>
<p>What I want to do changes too much. One week I want to be a research psychologist, the next week a literature professor, the week after broadcast journalism, and this week I'm thinking of technical writing. Now I think technical writing is out of reach because I'm not sure if I have enough knowledge in technology or science for this career. Also, if one wants to go where the money is, such as writing for a pharmaceutical company for example, they would have to get a doctorate. Too bad I was never bright when it comes to science. There was a time when I wanted to be a lawyer, but then I realized that I don't have the social skills for it.</p>
<p>I'm not expecting anything to be handed to me, but I'm realistic enough to know that some jobs are either not worth the crap pay (teaching) or I'm not smart enough for it (lawyer, doctor).</p>
<p>Hey, you're young (I'm guessing). It's normal to change your mind. I just finished my 1st semester of college, and I went from being an International Relations major to Econ to Govt back to Econ. Most people don't end up working in fields related to their major, and most switch careers throughout life. </p>
<p>You still need some level of focus though...what's your major? English? you could do journalism if you want, or go into marketing. there are tons of doors open if you're smart enough. I notice many careers you want involve higher education - to be a HS teacher, you still have to get a Masters, you need a ph.d to be a professor or psychologist...if you're planning on stopping after a B.A, you obviously can't do some of that, but you seem to want to...look, I don't know you, but if you're capable, then there are lots of jobs open. HS students tend to think in terms of jobs like Lawyer, Doctor, Teacher, that kinda stuff, but there's hundreds of jobs you haven't heard of or considered.</p>
<p>If you want to write novels, that doesn't have to be your main career...you can write in your free time. A lot of authors who write novels don't sit at home all day and write, they have other jobs.</p>
<p>From all this I can see that you enjoy writing, so my suggestion would be to taking a writing intensive major like English, comparative lit. or journalism, and pair it with something "useful," like some sort of a business field (advertising, marketing, finance).</p>
<p>I'm a liberal arts major. How does marketing tie into a writing intensive major?</p>