I know...

Egg White

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...a lot of regulars here are getting on a bit (I'm 49),

but did you imagine in your teens, twenties - that you'd be where you are now in life?

I dare say some aren't as happy / successful as they wanted to be, or even dreamed, but given hindsight, what gives?
 
When I was young I wanted to be an astronaut and go to the moon.

Instead I'm 50 and in GC reading another thread that's pretty much just a slightly different take on dozens that have gone before.

So no... I'm not where I wanted to be.
 
Maybe I'm not old enough (32) but I'm not far from the life I wanted. I've made more plans for when I turn 60 rather than before but I think I'll get there OK! Haha
 
well, guess we all had dreams... but i came from a real poor background, and when i was 20 and 24 (long story) if I had of imagined I'd be where I am now then no complaints at all..

but now I'm here, I'm not totally sure haha...shame you're not taking this serious, maybe if you'd taken you're life serious then you'd be happy? @leamspaceman
 
I wanted to travel the world while working on a yacht. I stopped at the first country and fell in love. I definitely cannot complain although I'm still yet to find that yacht and learn how to sail! When you want a better life its there for anyone to achieve.
 
When I was young I never needed anyone and making love was just for fun.
Those days are gone.
 
I'm not old (36) but I'm earning more then I ever have, living better then ever, have gained numerous useful skills and generally getting on OK. Sure the bank account would look better with a few more zeros, but overall not so bad.

Did I ever think I'd be doing what I am now when in my late teens/20s...hell no! I was working dead end jobs for min wage and not at all happy.
 
I'm not old (36) but I'm earning more then I ever have, living better then ever, have gained numerous useful skills and generally getting on OK. Sure the bank account would look better with a few more zeros, but overall not so bad.

Did I ever think I'd be doing what I am now when in my late teens/20s...hell no! I was working dead end jobs for min wage and not at all happy.

yep, i worked in a fast food joint, then as a dishwasher...i cycled loads tho - and close to where i live now, and never thought I'd live here...

and as a dishwasher (for a dept store) there were the full time staff (who were close to my age now and bitter about life - as it did them no favours), and the 6th formers who were going on to enjoy life at uni and beyond...

and as my early 20 years began to disappear - i felt like i was losing connection from the 6th formers and becoming closer to the unhappy fulltimers, so i left and went to uni and it was the best thing I did.. :)
 
Hmmmm, not sure. I know i’m not on the breadline. We were poor growing up, and was tough watching my parents struggle.

Didn’t think i’d be still training though, especially at 42, and all the things that come along like children, work, elderly parents, etc
 
Career wise and future prospects wise, yes. Savings and children wise, no unfortunately.
 
maybe if you'd taken you're life serious then you'd be happy? @leamspaceman

I didn't say I was unhappy. I was letting you know that I hadn't become an astronaut as I wanted to be when I was young.

That you can make some unsubstantiated jump from that to then stating that I haven't taken life seriously and I'm not happy is yet another example of extrapolation without foundation.

Happiness is fleeting and transitory. And if you're lucky, so is sadness. Most of life is spent just in and around the middle ground and with no real mindfulness from minute to minute.

Contentment is the key to success in life as far as I'm concerned. The pursuit of constant happiness is an unachievable goal sold to us by corporations and advertisements.

I was just noting that there are only so many threads that can be created around what are essentially the same humanistic and existential questions.
 
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I have never known what I wanted to do with my life and circumstances during my childhood had a major impact on my life. So I have pretty much wasted my life with little to look back on and smile about.
 
I made the plunge last year of selling my uk home and moving to Thailand :) aged 49 never been healthier, wealthier or happier!!!

life easy and simple now. I wish i had done it a long time ago and escaped the UK :)
 
If I’m honest, I’m doing a lot better than I thought I would when I was in my late teens. It could all have been so different too. It was only really a single chance event when I was about 21 that sent me off in the right direction.
 
Not really, divorced, single dad, now renting again, still in a trade at 46, despite bonking my way thru tinder and bumble post divorce, this might seem like a great idea, however i still had a hollow feeling, my conscious played hell with me.

Positives, 3 children, one grown up, 2 others growing up, own business, solvent, money is good, finally met someone who i can see a future with, still go to the gym, thankfully still have a youthful fun attitude.
Plans, finish degree, change job, marry, buy a house, have another child, bring my others up, grow old gracefully.:rotfl:
 
Pretty much so yes, ahead on a few, slightly behind on a few others. I've met/exceeded most targets I set myself. But also accepted a few changes along the way; most shocking one to me is that I married a Brunette and not a Blonde but hey don't knock it until you try it. I wasn't expecting to still be in the UK, and definitely not to have lived longer here than in any of the other 16 countries I've lived in. But that is easily sorted. Workwise ended up totally different than what I not only imagined but also what I studied, but that is ok.
 
Born in 1954 in Portsmouth, left school at 16. Choices for employment weren’t enormous. Dad had been in the navy, but didn’t fancy that.
I don’t think at that age I had a clear idea of where I wanted to be in x years time. I needed to do something so applied for an apprenticeship in the dockyard. I learnt a trade, got sent to college and got paid for it.
At the end of my apprenticeship I got sent to Bath to work. Got married, divorced.
Got moved to the new MOD headquarters at Abbey Wood, Bristol. Got married again had 2 children. After 44 years in the MOD have been retired for 5 years. Have done a lot of interesting jobs which I wouldn’t have done had I not joined the MOD.
Am comfortably off, have got my health and I’m content with my life. What more could you want? :)
 
If at 16 I had been able to see where I am now at 58 I would be happy. Married for 34 years no kids but that was a choice (history with my Sister and Bothers offspring) a 13 year old cat and friends that are priceless. All I wish now is for time to slow down. Oh and the rain to stop.......
 
I'm only 35, do I count? :rotfl:

Tough one; I think young(ish, we're talking early twenties) me wanted to have a nice house and a Nissan GT-R by the time I was thirty - that didn't work out. We do have a nice house (hey, all's relative), but the Sorento ain't no GT-R; but it does carry a lot more, which I hadn't considered at the time :D

Proper young me (under 10), despite - or possibly because of - both parents being doctors, wanted to be an electronics engineer and somethingsomething to do with space; ended up being a pretty hands-on network engineer which isn't a million miles off, but the space part is MIA. I had zero thoughts of marrying, kids etc for a long time - not because I didn't want to, but because it just really wasn't something I thought about almost at all.

I think if young me would see old(er) me I'd be pretty happy though; maybe it would have convinced me not to hesitate about things as much, there isn't really anything I regret doing, but there are definitely things I regret not doing or at least trying.
 
I know you said that comment in jest, i personally long for stability, settled family lifestyle.
Hope you find it. I just meant I’m not going to be constrained by how ‘old people‘ are supposed to act:)
 

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