I came to realize that my dream was to become a pilot, not necessarily an airline pilot. So, when I get to the job that provides me with the QoL that I'm looking for, airline or not, that will be where I'll hang my hat. Previous posters were correct, there's a lot more out there than just the airlines.
I've been working for a few years as a pilot and am still asked by my friends whether I'd like to become a Commercial pilot.... usually I grit my teeth, and explain what that means in the aviation world.