What Did You Want To Be as a Child?
How childhood dreams can lead you back to the authentic self
Before becoming the unforgettable Picasso, he grew up in a family full of creativity. His father had a huge influence on him, passing down his passion for painting at a very young age. In class, Picasso spent his time sketching or cutting out paper figures, starting what would become an incredible career as an artist, creating anywhere between 13,500 and 150,000 paintings in his lifetime.
“It took me four years to paint like Rembrandt, but a lifetime to paint like a child.” — Picasso
Now, what does that even mean? Is it about painting rainbows and unicorns? Not quite. For me, what Picasso meant is that as children, we see the world with curiosity. Everything is exciting — a spider on the wall, raindrops racing down a car window. We don’t focus on just one thing, but everything around us. And it’s not just that. Kids say things without filters. They’ll drop some hard truth right to your face without even thinking twice about it.
Real Life Examples
Picasso isn’t the only one who chased his childhood dreams. Even today, there are people who made their childhood passions their reality.
- Snoop Dogg started playing the piano and singing in church at six, eventually moving to rapping. Today? He’s dropped over 30 albums with more than 100 singles.
- Lionel Messi? We know his story. He kicked off his football career as a kid and went on to play for FC Barcelona, PSG, and Inter Miami, becoming one of the highest-paid players in the game.
- Leonardo DiCaprio always wanted to be either an actor or a marine biologist. He chose acting, and well, we know how that turned out — Oscar-winning and all.
Then there’s me. When I was a kid, I remember one school event where we had to dress up as what we wanted to be when we grew up. I went as a superhero. Later on, that changed, and I wanted to be a scientist. Fast forward, I became one — after studying psychology.
Society’s Rules
Here’s the thing: A lot of us get lost in what society tells us we “should” do.
“You need to follow this path to be successful.”
“Don’t wear that; people will judge you.”
“You need to get married by this age.”
It’s exhausting. We spend our lives looking for meaning, and a purpose, but society’s rules make us feel trapped, like we’re powerless to break out and be ourselves. As we grow up, we start controlling what we say (or don’t say). We try to fit in and, somewhere along the way, forget who we are.
But here’s the thing — there are plenty of people who’ve stepped outside society’s lines and found happiness just by being true to themselves. Kids don’t hold back. They do extraordinary things, and they’re unapologetically themselves. What changes as they grow up? Society’s rules.
Social norms are useful for structure, sure, but they also box us in and limit creativity. Think about it:
“The page title should be red, the subtitles black, and the content blue.”
How is that supposed to let someone’s creativity shine?
Kids wear school uniforms, and society expects them to express their personality anyway. Some get suspended for dyeing their hair a bright color. That’s how society punishes individuality.
Reconnecting with Your Inner Child
So, how do you reconnect with your true self, the version of you from childhood?
Take a moment and think about what you loved doing as a kid. Make a list. Do any of those things still make you excited? Don’t overthink how you’ll do it — just visualize yourself doing it.
Start small. Treat it like a hobby. Now that you’re an adult, you can buy supplies for it. If you loved painting, grab a canvas and some colors. If you wanted to be a writer, there are endless ways to do it.
But the key is to start small.
Step out of your comfort zone. I get it, trying something new can be scary. The unknown is intimidating. But here’s the thing — when you don’t know anything, you get to absorb way more than if you already have a foundation.
Find your people. Communities of like-minded individuals are great at keeping the motivation alive. As you grow and reconnect with your inner child, you’ll find yourself expressing your voice more authentically, without worrying about what others think.
Just be you. Everyone loves a story, so what’s yours? People follow authentic individuals — whether they’re artists, singers, writers, or athletes. We admire them not just for their talent but for who they are beyond their craft.
So yeah, just be you.
“If you hear a voice within you say you cannot paint, then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” — Vincent Van Gogh
Thanks for reading! If you’d like to read more of my stories, check them out here.
