In this country (and many others), we are taught that we can be creative, unique and imaginative. Our ideas can launch us into a future of success, and we can be whatever we want, as long as we stay focused, driven and work extra hard. I’m not exactly trying to sound like a pessimist, and I truly mean this in the nicest way possible, but we were misled.

I agree that achieving the goals we really desire to achieve does take hard work and some serious ambition. And, so many of us really are creative and unique. But, the older most of us get, the more we forget what we dreamt of doing with our lives when we become adults. Being a young child, I never doubted what I could and could not achieve, but I definitely came to understand the reality of my abilities.

I wanted to be a singer, but the karaoke sessions I have in my car, alone, prove that option is off the table. I also wanted to be a horse jockey, but then found out that jockeys are tiny people (which I was not) and racing horses don't2 have the best lifespan (which I could not accept).

Then, for the rest of my elementary/middle school career, I was set on becoming an Egyptologist (an Anthropologist who mainly studies all things Egypt). I was an odd child with slightly obscure dreams, clearly. However, I became none of those things in real life, and I am okay with that (surprising, I know).

So, my point here is that I actually could not become whatever my heart desired to become. I am also absolutely not saying we should start telling children that their dreams are silly and unattainable, but I am saying that we should stop telling kids their imaginations and creativity are not as valued as they think.

This world needs the creativity so many people have to offer, but so many of us are constantly told creative careers are impossible to become successful in and maybe we should keep our ideas contained as hobbies, instead of actual jobs. I mean, yes some careers are certainly difficult to make a comfortable living out of, but I also find these types of workers to be versatile and driven in any job they are in so that they can afford to build their businesses and achieve their real dreams.

Honestly, telling a person their ideas and aspirations are “silly” and irrelevant is highly condescending. I guarantee these creative thinkers with the “silly” ideas already know how tough their field is, without someone who, most likely, has zero knowledge of that field giving their unsolicited opinion.

Our educational years are spent learning multiple subjects to help prepare us for a future of decent-paying wages, health benefits and a cozy retirement. That sounds fantastic, but what we are rarely taught is that we may have to settle for the career we never really considered having so we can afford basic necessities for survival. We are put into art classes hoping to find our inner artistes, given the choice to learn an instrument or sing in a chorus, taught how to design and build things and inspired to find our “voice” through reading and writing. And, all of these options are so important to building our creativity and expressing ourselves in ways that simple words cannot convey.

Except, there is a problem with how schools and society(in the U.S. at least) control creativity. The need to place so many rules and guidelines on learning is forcing so many individuals to shift their focus from expressing their true selves through creative outlets to spending more time worrying about a GPA.

You cannot put a grade on a painting or a symphony. You can’t look at a poet’s words and tell them their syllables and soliloquies are wrong. Just because someone doesn’t understand abstract artwork doesn’t mean the work is not art.

In what way does solving a math equation equal success?

When did vocabulary become a curriculum instead of a vehicle for delivering a message of self-expression?

In what way does standardized testing pave a path to greatness?

By ignoring the benefits of creative, imaginative free-thinking we are ignoring the potential of so many people. Putting too much emphasis on a pass or fail is killing the spirit of possibility and hope in too many individuals who could have made an impact strong enough to inspire substantial change.

So, stop assuming that all people should fit into a cubicle-sized box 40 hours each week until we have lost our ability to be inspired by anything except a 401K and a decent dental plan (enticing, I admit, but not inspirational).

And, for all of the freethinkers doubting their desire to achieve true happiness and success through unconventional ways, don’t feel bad for sitting in your cubicle-sized box while working to break through it.