Be sincere with yourself; how would you feel if your child or sibling, whose engineering education costs a lot, decides to become a full-time comedian? That does give you a pause, right? Well, it’s now common to see people do a complete u-turn regarding their career choice. After all, the Giorgio Armanis, Deepak Chopras, Kemi Adetibas, Tiwa Savages, and Folarin Falanas (Falz) of this world once had highly lucrative professions before pursuing creative careers.
However, the fact that it’s common doesn’t make it easier for your loved ones to understand or accept sudden career switches, especially when it seems like you’re throwing away a promising career. So, today on Creative Gist, we ask creatives – what was your family’s reaction to your career choice?
When I was much younger and hadn’t taken my writing to a professional level, my family were so comfortable with it. Even though we stayed in the same house, my dad even looked forward to the weekly letters I sent him. Fast forward to when I decided to go professional and take it on as my source of income. I was met with so much resistance, especially from my dad. But it was expected, so I didn’t fight it. For my dad, writing isn’t a secure career choice and, of course, isn't lucrative all the time.
He started accepting it but slower than I expected. On the other hand, my mum supported my every move and trusted I knew what I was doing. She read my first printed story, and her positive reaction has been living in my head since then. I guess their initial reactions were driven by our society and their concern for the security of my future. Eventually, my successes bought them over. Nothing else could have won them over.
My family acted positively toward my career choice because they've always supported my interests and work. When I started, my sister encouraged me to focus properly on my art to improve at it. Since then, I have not had any negative reactions from my family regarding my career choice.
They were stunned and angry. Basically, they expressed negative reactions throughout my announcement of a new career choice. My dad wanted me to study Law while my mum just wanted me to study something prominent. But I wanted a career in entertainment/showbiz. I think they didn't understand why a young and vibrant woman like me would choose such a career path. It didn't make sense to them. Also, they reacted negatively because my career choice won't bring in the money and prestige they wanted their daughter/sister to have.
I come from a family that isn't particular about their children's career choices as long as they're successful. On the other hand, my dad used to hint that he wanted me to study nursing because of the lucrative job opportunities outside the country. So he assumed I would follow that path, and I almost did. But life happened, and I had to opt for another option as a home scientist. Along the line, I fell in love with baking, and my mother supported my baking career. She even went the extra mile to encourage me because she agreed that learning a skill alongside school was a great idea. However, my father was against it because he didn't want anything to hinder my education.
I am training to be a medical doctor, and makeup artistry is still a hobby. However, my mom has only partially accepted my second career choice because she thinks extracurricular activities would distract me from my schoolwork. My dad doesn't know about it yet because I don't know how he'd react. However, every other person supports my second career choice 100%.
My family's reaction to my career choice was quite negative. They said I should leave my music career to study medicine. I honestly didn't have the strength to convince anyone about anything, so I put myself first. I was confident in my dreams, so I didn't think forcing myself to convince anyone else was necessarily important. Instead, I work hard to ensure I achieve my goals and aspirations. Recently, they've seen the positive results that my little work has produced. So, they are convinced that even though I'm still an upcoming artist, I have the potential to succeed in this career path.
 Family is Important; So is Your Career Choice
Phew! Those were some fascinating experiences. While families and loved ones react differently to the news of an entirely new career choice, genuine concern usually underlines their reactions. So, rather than respond negatively to your family’s reactions and concerns, take a cue from some of our creatives’ responses to handle the situation.
While at it, is today’s topic your story too? What was your family’s reaction to your career choice? Please share with us below.
PS. If you would like to contribute as a respondent in the future episodes of the Creative Gist, send us an email to [email protected] or reach us via WhatsApp +2348088809311
