Successful Future (questions you need to ask yourself)

I have a few gamer friends that think they are going to be a game designer for a living. No amount of convincing will change their mind. These kids have done no research about this career. They have not taken any computer courses in high school. And they have no plan as to where they will learn to design games. They have no clue what they are getting into. First off, they think it is a job of all fun and games. Designing a game is hard work. It has to be complicated enough that people will have a challenge playing it. You have to work out all the kinks and glitches. This can take years. You have your boss on your case 24/7 about what is happening, how perfect things are, being on schedule, making a perfect game. A very small percent of game designers actually get their games on the shelves. And this is all if you are a computer expert. You can't just be educated. You have to be extremely talented. Most people get into the industry and spend hours testing games to find every single kink and glitch. Yeah, playing for hours sounds like fun right? Trust me, after hours a day, every day, beating the game hundreds of times, it gets tiring. It can become murderously boring. Trying to get into this career without any research, planning, education, or talent is like a child trying to go gold panning in the creek down the road.

This is just an example of how hard being unprepared can be. With something like the choice of a career being made, you need to know exactly how things work, what your five year plan is, and exactly how you will get from here to there.

So, with that, I am posting questions you need to ask yourself if you want to be successful in what you want to do. This doesn't even have to apply to a career.

1. What is it you want to do?

2. EXACTLY what do you need to do to get there?

3. Do you have the skills and knowledge to do it? If not, then how and where can you obtain the skills and knowledge?

4. Have you been obtaining the right skills and knowledge to get where you want to go? Is anything missing?

5. Have you researched exact details of what you want to do?

6. Have you considered how you can handle hard times on your journey? Will you enjoy the results of the choice you've made?

7. Do you have a 5 year plan? a 10 year plan? or however long the journey or a stage in the journey will take?

8. Do you have the means to carry out your plan?

9. Are there any pre steps you need to take care of first?

10. Are you capable of what you have chosen?

11. Are you sure you know exactly what your choice involves through and after the journey? Do you need to do more research and contemplating?

12. ARE YOU SURE THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO?

(and sorry for the long period without posts. i had some internet problems)