DH grew up wanting to be a jet pilot. He went to flight school and didn't have jet grades and ended up going helos. Sure, he was a bit disappointed since his dream as a 7 year old kid wasn't to fly helicopters. But he loves it and loves his job. He's still excited for nearly every flight he flies, but it has also become about more than the flying for him. I imagine it is the same for many others.
It seems to me (a civilian) like the other thing to consider is that in any career path, you probably aren't going to get exactly what you imagined. You may be a lawyer, but you may end up in probate law when you wanted to be a prosecutor. You may fulfill your dream of being a teacher, but you'll end up with remedial English class instead of the AP kids. Deciding not to be a naval aviator because it might not turn out to be 100% what you had planned seems like a strange rationale, since that's a possibility you'll need to be prepared for no matter what you decide to peruse in your life.
It seems to me (a civilian) like the other thing to consider is that in any career path, you probably aren't going to get exactly what you imagined. You may be a lawyer, but you may end up in probate law when you wanted to be a prosecutor. You may fulfill your dream of being a teacher, but you'll end up with remedial English class instead of the AP kids. Deciding not to be a naval aviator because it might not turn out to be 100% what you had planned seems like a strange rationale, since that's a possibility you'll need to be prepared for no matter what you decide to peruse in your life.
