It’s a big decision. As far as we know, you only get one life. It’s only natural that you want to make the best of it. While the answer might come easily to a lucky few, most of us feel quite burdened and unsure about how to proceed. Many people are content to take whatever job pays the most. A few of us want more out of life.
You can have a life that is meaningful and manages to pay the bills on time each month. Give this issue the time it deserves but be sure to make a decision. Failing to choose can create more challenges than choosing the wrong thing.
Completing these steps will help you to find the life you were meant to lead:
- Determine how hard you’re willing to work. For example, if you want to be a billionaire, it’s probably going to take a tremendous amount of work. But, maybe you’re the type of person that has a lot of hobbies and likes to spend evenings at home or with your friends. Are you willing to commit to the time required?
- Think about how much time you’re willing to work on something and ensure that the possibilities you consider fall within that limit.
- Make a list of your values. Your values are an excellent starting point. Someone who values security and success will have a different life purpose than someone who favors family and fun above all else. Most people aren’t aware of their values because they’ve never thought about them.
- Make a list of every value you have, and then prioritize your list by placing the most important values at the top. Focus on the top 10. What you want to do with your life should support those values.
- Think about your past. What did you like to do as a child? What did you want to become at that time? What have you enjoyed doing in the past? What did you find fun and exciting? You already know yourself quite well, and you have a lot of past data you can use to choose a fulfilling future.
- What are your interests right now? What are you curious about? What would you like to spend your time learning and doing?
- What are your strengths? What are you already good at? Could you build those strengths further and apply them to your life in a meaningful way?
- How can you best contribute to the world? By answering this question, you will come up with ideas that are good for others and yourself. You’ll feel good about yourself if you’re helping others.
- Ask yourself how you can alleviate the most suffering in the world. Some people accomplish this by telling jokes on a stage or by fixing broken transmissions. How can you be most useful to the world?
- What do you not like to do? Perhaps you hate the thought of working in an office environment. Or maybe you don’t like working long hours or working on teams. Think about jobs you’ve had in the past and what you didn’t like about them. Consider your list of dislikes before formulating a plan for the future.
Do you have any new ideas? Since you’ll be living the rest of your life for the rest of your life, take the time to figure out how you want to spend it. Ask yourself the important questions and consider what you like and don’t like. Understand your values and how you can incorporate them into your vision for the future.
Figure out what you want in life and then go live it.
