Some interesting comments here for sure and a few seem to be genuinely trying to give advice, which certainly gives food for thought and is much appreciated.
However...
For me, becoming a professional pilot is something I can honestly say, "it's all I've ever wanted to do." It's something I feel I have to do and if I don't I'll severely regret it once I'm too old. Not because I want to walk through the terminal with my aviators on followed by a string a hosties fighting over who's going to sit on my knee in the flight deck. Or for the money for that matter (if I can make what I earn now I'd be happy). It's because I have a genuine passion for aircraft and aviation. An appreciation of the technology and engineering. An utter sense of awe being at the controls of a Tobago TB-10.
I'm not going to pay the ridiculous Oxford or CTC prices to get my licence and certainly don't believe the
they spout about a pilot shortage. I'm not going to get into mortgage size debt over it or put my parents house on the line. I've set myself up to be able to fund the training myself and have a back-up career I could easily go back to if flying doesn't work out.
I'm sure many of you felt the same way I do and I'm not saying you now hate your job because you got into it for the wrong reasons. Maybe I'll feel the same as many of you guys on here in ten years time. Maybe not.
One thing's for sure. If I do I certainly won't continue as life's too short to hate your career that much and it certainly can't be healthy. One thing I've learnt during my fairly short career though is that the ones who moan the loudest have been there the longest and will never move on, so it can't be
that bad
