If there were a magic pill that will make you figure out what you want to do with your life in a snap, I’d pay for almost anything.
Unfortunately, there is no such thing as that.
Figuring out what you want to do in life is a process that could take painstakingly long.
Sometimes, even accepting and understanding that we don’t know what we want and are meant for more takes a lifetime for some people, and it’s OKAY.
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I am a firm believer that in everything that we do, we must have a purpose. That purpose is like our fuel.
Without the “why” fuel, we’ll end up not having the persistence to do anything.
We’ll struggle to make decisions, keeping up, and…. we’ll feel lost.
Today, I’m going to share three simple ways to figure out what you want in life.
No matter if it’s to help you decide your college major, change your career, or quit your job, these are the tips to guide you:
- Identify what puts you “in the zone.”
- Discover your personal values.
- Consider the people you admire.
How to figure out what you want in life
1. Identify what puts you “in the zone.”
The first way to figure out what you want to do with your life is to be aware of what you do when you are in the flow state.
Flow state is when you feel so focused and absorbed into something that you lose track of time.
It’s the moment when you feel so attached and immersed in whatever you are doing, whether it’s a physical activity or a simple daily task.
I believe many of us experience being in the flow state, but we just don’t quite notice it.
One example is my musician friend in high school.
He’s very passionate about music, and playing guitar is one thing he does that puts him in the zone.
Every time he’s practicing his guitar skills, he’s totally in the flow state that he forgot to eat or even do anything else.
He literally just plays guitar nonstop for long hours like he is not getting tired!
Crazy, right?
When you’re incredibly passionate about something that you are doing, it seems like you are in your own non-distracted zone.
Personally, what puts me in the flow state is when I am writing or designing. I think I could take the whole day doing those things and forget anything else!
Being in the flow is accessible to anyone, even if you are just doing simple household chores like decluttering or organizing your room.
Noticing those things you do which put you in the flow state will help you figure out what you want to do with your life.
Try to observe yourself and see what task you are extremely into.
2. Discover your personal values
The next thing that you can do to identify what you want is knowing your values.
Discovering your values is a “non-hacky” tip to find out what you want. Your core values are essential things to consider especially if you are making decisions for yourself.
Your core values are your personal beliefs and important ideas that shaped you as a person and how you view the world.
It will serve as your guide in figuring out what you want to do with your life and building your self-confidence.
It takes some deep reflection to really identify your core values, but you don’t have to overcomplicate them.
To give you further instructions to identify your personal values, watch this video of Adriana Girdler on how to find your core values in just three easy steps!
You can also do this exercise in the self-discovery workbook that I’ve created. Download the workbook for FREE by clicking here!
3. Consider the people you admire.
My last tip for figuring out what you want is to reflect on the people that inspire you, and you admire the most.
You admire people not just because they exist or doing something you like but for specific reasons.
We get inspired by other people because of their unique abilities that we want to have.
So try to analyze all the celebrities, social media influencers, and even those simple people that you admire.
Ask yourself, “what makes me like them?”
It might be because you admire what they do or their personal values.
For me, I just realized that the real reason why I admire and follow some of my favorite artists is that I want to be as talented as them. Also, their personal stories inspire me.
Once you dig deeper and reflect on those important to you and inspire you, no matter if it’s a huge celebrity or just a friend or family member, you’ll notice some hints about what you want.
Conclusion
Being lost and not figuring out what you want quickly is okay. It’s an opportunity to go on an adventure (can be literally) and be curious.
When I felt so lost in my life before, the best advice that I received was this one word: “explore.”
You wouldn’t find out what’s out there if you didn’t take the courage to explore.
So keep digging, stay curious, and ask questions. Start where you are and take one step at a time.
Figuring out what you want is part of discovering who you are.
If you find yourself still feeling lost at this point, start with getting to know yourself.
This workbook is a collection of journal prompts and exercises that helped me figure out what I want and reflect thoroughly to know myself.
Comment down below if you also have any tips to figure out what you want.
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Jocelyn is a coffee lover who believes that a bad day with coffee is better than a good day without it. You can find her obsessing over stationery, hanging out with her cat, or singing her favorite Taylor Swift songs.