First of all. Where would this world be if everyone always listened to people and stoped just because somesone said "its a waste of time" or "you can't do it!"? Then even EZA wouldnt exist.
To give you something about me, I am 27 and I am JUST getting started. so I have been exactlly where you are, Im guessing mainly mentally.
I think that its only healthy to now and then ask yourself "am I happy where I am?" or "What do I REALLY want with my life?". I believe that this is one of the ways we evolve as people. We have to sometimes take a step back, look at things and see what needs to be changed.
I graduated collage 09 and most of my friends went off to awesome jobs or traveled the world and so on. For me I were still living with my parents at the time, had NO idea what I wanted or what I wanted to do with my life. I sunk down like a rock into a depresion (or back I should say after coming out of another one, but thats a different story). After a few months of just playing games, hiding away and feeling terrible I was lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time and a phone rang. On the other side of this phone a boss of a grocery store were whom needed someone "NOW", so I took it. Turned out the previous staff had left as the boss turned out to be - you guessed it, batshit crazy. I worked here for about 9 months, hating my life, hating my job and just earning enough money to pay some bills but not do anything special.
I kept working at minimum wage jobs because noone else would take me with a higher degree, my friends still making shitloads of money and me just enough to survive. I didnt like people, I didnt like myself and everything felt super dark. I was stuck in life.
Then one day I sat on top of a very VERY tall bridge.... I started to question myself. "What do I REALLY want?" and "HOW would I get there?" "It wouldnt be fair to jump and make this world a better place".
I started to think about the few times I felt happy, what I did and why. I realised that I wanted to work within the creative industry. I told my parents and some friends, which you guessed it, laughed in my face and said "haha you being creative? thats one of the hardest markets to get into, not a chance that you can do it!". At first I felt really shot down. But I decided not to listen. I applied to universities... got shot down as my grades were absolutely terrible. I got a bunch of "We told you so!" in my face.
I didnt give up. I started to take evening courses to improve my grades. Did that. An idea started to grow in my head... what about getting away from this shitty little town? (a town which nothing have happened in since 1518). I applied for university abroad. You can guess peoples reaction to that. However I got in and I have just graduated earlier this summer. Now I am 2 months in my role as a graphic designer. I love it and life feels great, but it is just getting started for me. - So what do I want to say with this? I hope you didn't take this as a "lolz look at me Im so awesome".
I am trying to tell you this as a push for don't listen to what lectureres, friends or family that tells you that you can't do anything. Age is JUST a number, nothing else. You are no older than you feel. There are times when things will be dark, there are no sugercoating in that. BUT, DON'T GIVE UP! I can't stress that enough. If you want to do something - you can. Sometimes you just have to keep in going, work your arse off. Can you build a portfolio? is this your passion? can you tweak what you are doing now to get closer to your goal? Can you find another way in? Start as an intern somewhere and it can take you further. Remember that you cant run before you can walk.
It is ALWAYS possible to start over, get new prespective on things. Focus on yourself, not what other people have achieved, comparing yourself will just make things harders. Dare to do things FOR YOU, not for others. It is like the snowball effect, get something small rolling and before you know it, you got an avalanche.
Sorry for the super long post, I hope you can be arsed to read it all. I know that they say "Even hell gets comfy once you settle in", but Start small and you WILL be able to do it. I hope that this post can be even the tinyest thing of support.
Love & Respect <3
