What to do if you find yourself at a crossroads in your career?
Nicholas Tay
"I help young graduates develop a career that is financially rewarding without losing their work-life balance in the corporate jungle." Master District Director, MDRT, COT, TOT, CFP.
“I still haven't decided what I want to do with my life.”
“I'm still undecided if I'll stay on this career path.”
"I don't know what to do after graduation."
These thoughts cross our minds at some point.
Asking,?"What do I want?"
This question has no definitive answer, as everyone wants something different in life that may depend on their interests and abilities. Yet, it's possible for career won't go as planned. Even a job you've had for a long time may no longer seem appropriate.??
In fact, every decision we make uses our mental capacity. Making the most critical decisions in life may be stressful, which is not surprising. We all make decisions in life, but sometimes those decisions are wrong. Instead of choosing wrongly, we opt not to decide at all.
That is why it is critical to determine what you want—what you really want—so that you may begin living a life that reflects your sense of purpose, defines your career path, and makes life worth living.
If you're unsure about what you really want in life, you're not alone. Millions of individuals wander the world mindlessly every day. But, if you don't want to waste your life wandering mindlessly, follow the?five tips?below to help you figure out what exactly you want in life.
1. Determine what makes you happy
Most people want happiness or positive emotions such as joy, contentment, and calmness. But when we ask ourselves what we want, we are also asking ourselves what makes us happy. Start by asking yourself,?“What makes me happy?”?and then work on improving your situation by learning how to visualize what you want and develop the skills of gratitude, perseverance, mindfulness, and compassion.
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2. Figure out what you need
Consider what you need the most by asking yourself,?“What do I need?”?Is it your family? A career? Financial freedom? Work-life balance situation? It can be challenging to figure out what you need. By asking yourself and identifying what you need, you will be able to recognize what aspects of your life need extra focus and what is preventing you from living the life you want.
3. Give a sense of purpose
When we do things for others or improve their lives, even in small ways, we feel a sense of purpose. For instance, saying a positive word to a stranger or your employee, creating something for others to use, or making things better. It can be vital to consider not only what we want but also the impact we want to have on others. It is often a better approach to choosing pursuits that genuinely make us feel good.
4. Determine who you admire or are envious of
Emotions might be helpful signs that help you figure out what you really want. You can only thrive if you confront and combat something you don't want. Determine who you admire as it has a significant impact on your life. Also, determine whom you are envious of for having a career you wish you had. Although envy is a negative emotion, it may indicate that you wish you had something that someone else has. If that's the case, consider whether owning it would actually make you happy. And if so, think about what you can do to get it. Be specific on what impacts and disturbs you.?
5. Determine what you don’t want
Another way to figure out what you want is to be clear about what you don't want. Make a list of the things you want to keep out of your life, potentially including things like hatred, injustice, isolation, and other such concerns. Consider what is left once you have finished your list. Be unambiguous about what you don't want to achieve what you really want.
Never lose hope in finding out what you want and going after your goals. You can create the life you want, so it's worthwhile to invest some time into doing so.