Sports star. Pilot. Scientist. Lawyer. Astronaut. According to a survey conducted last year, these are a few of the jobs that children most covet when they’re growing up. With the exception of lawyer (and perhaps scientist), these dream jobs are pretty unrealistic for all but a lucky few. Despite this, children earnestly believe that their ambitions are not only achievable, but inevitable. For many, that belief sticks with us for a long time. Sure, the career path might change a bit, but we tend to believe that if we try hard at school and go to University then our dreams will come true.
At the age of twenty five I sometimes feel burnt out, like I’ve stopped dreaming. And I’m not alone in this — it’s a running joke that most young people who live in London work too hard, have zero disposable income and will be sharing flats with strangers long into their 30s. Worse still, it’s a joke that they will tell you when you talk to them, as if they’ve simply accepted a lifetime of unfulfillment.