Teenage dreams are never practical. But where would we be without the people who chased theirs? | Adrian Chiles

"Who wants to crush a kid's dreams? Not me. But what to say when asked by a teenager about a career in the media? With tens of thousands of media, journalism and other graduates crowding into the market every year, the chances of finding steady work, let alone stardom, are more remote than ever. There's no advice I feel comfortable giving."

"Too often, I suck my teeth and tell them how hard it is, which surely invites them to wonder exactly how hard it can be if I've managed to pull it off. Fair point. But what's the point encouraging them to chase something that probably isn't there? Dispiriting. Dispiriting too, when you encounter the opposite of a teenage dreamer: the teenage realist."

"He talked to us about the school in a mature, intelligent manner, but without a trace of precocity. In his own quiet way, he was quite something. This young man will go far, I thought. With this in mind, I asked him what he wanted to go on to study. He said he was looking at doing drama at a local college. Oh, do you want to be an actor? No, I'd like to be a drama teacher."

The media and journalism job market is saturated, with tens of thousands of graduates annually, reducing the likelihood of steady employment or fame. Many experienced professionals struggle to advise teenagers because the realities contrast with youthful optimism. The emotional weight of discouraging dreams conflicts with the risk of encouraging unlikely pursuits. Encounters with pragmatic young people can feel dispiriting when ambition seems limited. An example describes a composed sixteen-year-old choosing to study drama to become a drama teacher rather than pursue stardom. Early talent spotting can alter trajectories, as exemplified by Michael Sheen’s football ability being noticed at age twelve.

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