In my way I look at things differently. Yes you are 100% correct that we cannot do anything, but each of us are born with different talents and it is our responsibility to develop them. Sadly you will find a person that could be an excellent pilot working as bank clerk and very unhappy in his job. There are millions of such forced circumstances and for instance I had a friend that was the CEO of one of the biggest companies here. His parents forced him to study accountancy at varsity and he hated it for most of his life. Now that he is retired he has become an artist, as that was his true talent.
Thankfully you are a good parent and you keep a keen eye on smallsteps. Rest assured that you will help her to discover her own true talents.
Yes, it comes down to opportunity availability of course, but I also wonder if had the opportunity to become a pilot presented, would the person have taken it? Having the potential for it and having the ability to take the opportunity are different things.
I just hope Smallsteps learns enough to find her own way :)
Nope, the person will think that his current employment (that he hates) is better as he has to cover his bond and his debts. How do I know? Because I was in that same situation a few times in my life.
Then of course age makes a difference, as I found what I always wanted to do and when a person came and offered me a big dollar package to go and manage his cobalt mine in the Congo, he was mightily surprised that I refused the offer. I started Papillon at the time and I am still at Papillon, until I die.
So the lesson to do what one loves are learnt at various stages of our lives and sadly so many never learn it.