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If your dream is something that can be achieved by hard work rather than luck or being a statistical outlier then go for it, especially if it gives you a liveli

If your dream is something that can be achieved by hard work rather than luck or being a statistical outlier then go for it, especially if it gives you a livelihood. Another idea is to time box it. Dedicate every fiber in you to it for a fixed amount of time and at the end of that truly evaluate your odds. This kind of dedicated application and focus does transfer into other areas. When it comes to sports, you are only young once and school and a vocation will always be there. But have an exit plan and a hard cutoff where you really evaluate your trajectory. If you have a dream and a well defined purpose that fills you with passion don't throw it away casually. It is a rare thing to know exactly what you want. Figure out a way if you can. For the rest that can't determine their dream, choose goals and paths that give you the most options at their end. Don't decide what you are going to be for the rest of your life, pick a place you want to be at in three to five years and shoot for this.

godfreyantonell 5y ago
If it ain’t happening in 5 years, it likely won’t ( not counting medicine or law of course). Something artistic like music or stand-up, 5 earnest years should yield at least a hint that you are not wasting your time. It’s also helpful to get brutally honest feedback, whether or not we want to hear it.
- swader999 5y ago
  This is true but you can't really tell until your a couple years past puberty so it's important to last that long and give it your all after you finish growing. To many kids burn out before then. I went from a decent junior athlete to top ten in country in that amount of time to compete on world cup. Was really lucky. It was apparent by then that it'd be a continuous grind with little to show afterward. Left healthy and coached for a few years while completing university. I was the old kid in all my classes but way more focused than I would have been straight from high school.
  - godfreyantonell 5y ago
    Good point.

godfreyantonell 5y ago

If it ain’t happening in 5 years, it likely won’t ( not counting medicine or law of course). Something artistic like music or stand-up, 5 earnest years should yield at least a hint that you are not wasting your time. It’s also helpful to get brutally honest feedback, whether or not we want to hear it.

swader999 5y ago
This is true but you can't really tell until your a couple years past puberty so it's important to last that long and give it your all after you finish growing. To many kids burn out before then. I went from a decent junior athlete to top ten in country in that amount of time to compete on world cup. Was really lucky. It was apparent by then that it'd be a continuous grind with little to show afterward. Left healthy and coached for a few years while completing university. I was the old kid in all my classes but way more focused than I would have been straight from high school.
- godfreyantonell 5y ago
  Good point.