When we were small, for us isro scientists meant making rockets that go brrrr, doctors meant magically saving lives, pilots meant flying big metal birdies… in such a fantasy world who wouldn’t want to be any of them? Note that mathematicians, programmers, accountants, investors, journalists, chip designers, bank managers and the like come to the picture only later unless some relative is one of them. And they “aren’t that cool” so kids who have such ambitions are less. Some wouldn’t even have ambitions or have “wild” ambitions due to various reasons. So the thing is that only when they grow up they are exposed to life, and decide for them what they really want. Making rockets that go brrr meant doing stuff that one hates (for some), or it doesn’t pay much compared to that hot new data science job etc. Maybe he or she is in shitload of student debt or his family is in debt which for that person pursuing passions meant jumping off a cliff hoping he lands on a haystack. For such a person, motivation to pursue his passion is a dangerous one. At times he is much better at something else entirely which he wouldn’t realise until he had done it. So it is okay or even better to wander while keeping options open.
Being an isro scientist may not be your thing, and its totally fine! if you want to make rockets you always have model rocketry open for you as a hobby! Wanted to be a pilot? take a PPL. Wanted to fly the MiG-29 like the real metal birdie but couldn’t? dang! make some good cash and there are rides for tourists in such aircraft somewhere in europe or usa.
