What to do when you don't figure out your dreams until it's too late to achieve them.

[neo651]

Hi. I'm new here and I have a lot of things I want to talk about but I guess what's on my mind most is this.

Since I graduated high school I haven't had the slightest idea what to do with myself and now here I am seven years later and I finally figure out what to do with my life that would make me happiest. Not only is it too late, but even if it weren't it's a 1 in a million shot.

I want to play professional football.

I didn't play in high school, I didn't even GO to college and I'm 60lbs overweight. I'm 25 years old and I work 55 hours per week. With so little time on my hands it would take me 2 years just to get in shape, let alone trying to learn to play at that level. So even if I turned out to be a physical specimen and a football genius at best I could make some minor league team by the time I'm 28. If I impress the right people that season I could get on to an NFL practice squad by 29 and if I impressed the right people yet again I might make a real team by 30.

Long story short I need miracle after miracle after miracle, on top of motivating myself to overcome my self doubt, finding the time to get in shape and train and still managing my life in such a way that I'm not completely screwed when/if this fails.

How do I justify the enormous investment of time, money and energy that it will take to attempt this in the face of almost certain failure? How will I deal with the ensuing depression I'll go through when I do fail? How will[/font] I keep myself motivated since my friends and family don't support me in this decision?

 

[Peter Lorre]

I've got a very similar dream, I won't list it here but if you'd like to hear about it then I can tell you in a PM.

About your dream: I know you'll need a miracle, but if this is really what you want and keep dreaming about, then you don't have a choice but to try and do it, even if it means you'll most likely fail. Atleast you'll get closure then, as someone might tell you that you're not good enough or that you might have made it if only you started playing earlier. Right now you got nothing but uncertainties, which I find alot worse.

Another thing that I can say: if it's really for the love of the sport and you can't make it in the American league, then you should consider playing abroad in a lesser (but still professional) league. There's quite a few options all over the world.

Anyway, good luck and if you'd like to talk some more about it, then you're always welcome to PM me.