What do you want to become when you grow up?

I was asked this question via SMS yesterday. Fifteen minutes after an exciting discussion with an unconventional thinker who feels trapped and is getting a lot of energy from talking to someone who has been where she is, literally! She feels trapped because she works for a company with a very conventional culture and though being appreciated on an individual level by her co-workers, there is no room for her to play and act on her unconventional thoughts and ideas. The culture won’t let her, even though it is being asked of her to play the role of an unconventional thinker. Interesting contradiction!

For the last ten years, I have always given the same answer: ‘I really hope never to find out!’. My fear being that as soon as I know and in a worst case scenario, become what I ‘want’ to be, I am over the hill. I reckon Roger Federer had a dream of becoming the number one tennis player in the world, now that he is, he wants to stay there and become the best player ever (he already is, but let’s not tell him yet). It is in his character to even after his tennis career look for something else to excel in, in his own quiet way. Johnny Mac in his not so quite way, thought to find it in music and though it probably still is his favorite past time, he has devoted himself to tennis again and through hard work and dedication is soundly beating players ten to fifteen years younger on the senior tour. In the process providing all tennis lovers with some serious fun watching him be the genius he still is. Imagine him sitting on a porch enjoying life with his friends. Well let’s put that doom scenario behind us quickly!

Putting the discussion in perspective, I find that the questions she should be asking are: “What creates meaning in your life?” and “What value do you add by what you do?”. These are far more interesting, or as she says sexier questions. They free up your thinking, they open up new possibilities, and they provide a basis for lifelong growth and renewed purpose. They lay the foundation for new experiences and discovery, in your own life and in those of others. That’s what life is about!