'I Don't Know What to Do With My Life': How to Navigate This Feeling (2024)

FAQs

What to do if I don't know what to do with my life? ›

It's perfectly normal – in fact it's one of the most common things we hear. Few people have a grand career plan when they leave university, and for many it's daunting making such an important choice.

Your life purpose consists of the central motivating aims of your life—the reasons you get up in the morning. Purpose can guide life decisions, influence behavior, shape goals, offer a sense of direction, and create meaning. For some people, purpose is connected to vocation—meaningful, satisfying work.

People often think things like money or luxury lead to happiness, but research indicates some healthy life practices may actually be the key. Simple experiences like spending time with friends and family or practicing gratitude may promote a healthier outlook on life. Looking for ways to shift negative thinking?

Lack of Experience. Limited work experience is another reason why you might find it tough to choose your career path. There are instances when talking with people who work in a career you're interested in pursuing isn't enough. You can overcome this hurdle by potentially participating in additional training.

Considered the best major for undecided students is liberal studies. This major offers broad studies that apply to different careers. As a liberal studies major, you will take humanities, social science, and other classes. From history to psychology, plan on taking many liberal arts courses.

What to do if you don t know what to become in future? ›

So, it is okay not to know what you want to do with your life. In fact, perhaps it's even preferable for a time. Deciding to live on your own terms, following your own intuition and living as honestly as possible is the most important decision of all. It's also important to briefly look back every now and then.

Psalm 57:2 says, “I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.” This is key in understanding God's purpose for your life. God has numbered your days and will fulfill every purpose He has for you. However, our choices and actions also really matter.

In The Purpose Driven Life, Pastor Rick Warren reveals the meaning of life from a Christian perspective—five purposes that you were created by God to fulfill: worship, unselfish fellowship, spiritual maturity, your ministry, and your mission.

Boredom can manifest when you're unable to focus your attention. This can be because you are consumed by multiple stressors in your surroundings. If you're stressed out about something else, and your present situation is overly-stimulating, you may feel bored.

One of the most common reasons why you feel bored is because your life is becoming too much of a routine to the point where you know what to expect in all your days to common. There are too many mundane things in your life that you lack spontaneity and adventure, and this is why your life can be perceived as boring.

Felling slugging, bored, and tired all the time has become a common complaint these days. This could be due to various reasons, including certain lifestyle habits like not sleeping enough, consuming junk food, and lack of adequate physical activity.

What is the most valuable thing in your life? ›

Using data from the Harvard study, two researchers showed in 2001 that we can control seven big investment decisions pretty directly: smoking, drinking, body weight, exercise, emotional resilience, education, and relationships.

Leading an unhealthy lifestyle: Much of your overall happiness comes from what you put into your body and how much you move. If you have unhealthy eating habits, addictions, or a sedentary lifestyle, you are more likely to get stuck in negative patterns of thoughts and behaviors.

Having gained a PhD degree in molecular genetics, Matthieu Ricard changed his path from science to become a Buddhist monk, and was declared to be the “happiest person on the planet” after a 12-year study by the University of Wisconsin.

Researchers showed more than 300 videos to a sample of hiring managers. The results were unequivocal: the better the looks, the better the chances of getting hired. Sophia Amoruso, the CEO of Nasty Girl, was voted sexist CEO on the planet by Business Insider magazine. She is worth $280m.

What degree is least employable? ›

Towards Meaningful & Rewarding Careers. Based on Payscale's 2021 College Salary Report, the top three best degrees to study are petroleum engineering, electrical engineering and computer science, and applied economics and management.

According to research, the top 10 in-demand jobs profiles of 2023 will include: Data Scientist. Data Analyst. Blockchain Engineer.

It's okay to not know everything. Curiosity is a beautiful thing. The only way to make it through these new unknowns is with courage. Courage to see that even when you feel unprepared, you are still allowed to give your all, knowing that this is what helps you grow.

Being able to embrace not knowing is one of the most important, yet challenging aspects of life and growth. Being okay with not knowing allows us to be creative, open, and willing to live in a state of wonder and possibility, like children do.

Nobody knows what they are “doing with their lives.” Some people have a better idea of what they're working toward, but ultimately, none of us can accurately anticipate or summarize what our existence is about.

If you've ever experienced self-doubt, rest assured it's completely normal to question your own abilities. Questioning yourself it Is inevitable whenever you're trying to achieve something you've never done before.

Keep an open mind. Throughout your career change process, try to be open-minded by unpacking your preconceptions and seriously considering all the possibilities available to you. This can help you explore career options that you may have otherwise overlooked.

Is it normal to not know what you want to be in the future? ›

It is actually fine if you don't know what you want to do in future. Most people are not necessarily doing what, some years ago, they envisioned themselves doing. Life happened to many of us! I have heard a lot of people tell me they are clueless about what they want to do after graduation, and they feel bad about it.

The short answer is yes. It's common for people to not know what career they want at 25. You don't have to have everything figured out in your 20s. There is this myth of young kids knowing exactly what they want and growing up to be hyper-successful.

Having No Plan in Place

Not building a career progression plan is easily one of the most common mistakes people make when it comes to career progression.

Making decisions based on salary alone

One of the most common career mistakes is focusing on compensation alone. When choosing a job or career, there is more to consider besides just salary and perks.

If making a complete guess, you would only choose your perfect career 0.008% of the time. For reference, the odds of being struck by lightning in your lifetime is 1 in 3,000 or 0.03%. That would mean you are 4 times more likely to be struck by lightning than picking your perfect career path.

It is never too late to switch careers. Indeed, many people change careers, often later in life. Still, you must weigh your life priorities to determine whether it is worthwhile. Yes, for many people, restarting your career is well worth it.

No matter your age, there is always something new you can learn. If you're motivated and passionate enough about what you want to do, it's never too late to embark on a new career path.

A sense of foreshortened future involves feeling as if life will be cut short without any real explanation as to why. People who experience this may also feel they won't be able to reach milestones in their life, such as a career, marriage, or children.

Why do I feel dread when I think about the future? ›

While some anxiety before events and situations is common, excessive levels of anticipatory anxiety can suggest an anxiety disorder. Individuals who have overwhelming fears, or worry about the future, should speak to their doctor or a mental health professional.

From career achievements to family milestones, these are the years in which you'll see the hard work you put in during your 20s and 30s really start to pay off. These decades are known as your peak earning years, as full-time workers with bachelor's degrees tend to make the most money in their 40s and 50s.

No, 25 is not too late to start over. In fact, it's a great time to reassess and refocus your career goals.

If you're over 30 with no career, there are many reasons why you may not have found your ideal career yet, but it's never too late. On the contrary, you're at an advantage over many younger people because you likely know more about yourself and your unique abilities and skills.