Why most people fall into jobs

I don’t care for any one career path. I go with what sticks, like most of us.

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Do you really believe that my dream ever since I was a little girl was to optimise SEO for a mid-level publication?

Grow up, it was to ride a pony on a space rainbow.

Then, at around 16, I thought it would be cool to be a talk show host, like Oprah. I pictured myself having deep conversations with fascinating people—all while, naturally, earning a hefty paycheck.

At 22, my plan B was to become a copywriter in an ad agency—creating those iconic slogans like “Just Do It” and “Got Milk?” I was sure I could be brilliant at it. I still believe that.

But life had other plans.

After university, I bought a one-way ticket to a foreign country named England and never returned.

And let me tell you ... nothing snaps you out of your “I can be anything I want” mindset quite like stepping off the plane in a country where no one speaks your language, literally and figuratively.

Here in London, no one was waiting to hand me my dream role. Why would they? There are 9 million other aspiring TV hosts with crisp RP accents and native copywriters who could do the job better.

You see, we love this idea that if you just try hard enough and “follow your dreams,” you’ll succeed.

Most people don’t follow their dreams. They follow whatever works.