About life...?

Question

hey I am 18(male) and I am going to university in september.
My question is....I don't know what I am going to do with my life.
I don't know what my goal is...

Also, I have this concern. Let's say you have this potential talent in some field... and you don't know if you have this talenet or not. For example, you have talent in cooking but you end up your life not noticing this. Missing chance to be chef.

How can I find that I have hidden talent in some area? because I want to live my life using my full potential.
thanks ^^

p.s: and please be serious.

Answer 1

I wish I had the time and will to answer this question as fully as it deserves, I can't but I'll try to do the best I can in a few minutes.

First of all, recognize that this is a question almost everyone worth their salt has always asked. If you can, try not to let it turn into that proverbial question about what might have been, for that is the realm of regret.

When you are young, this is the time to expose yourself to many different activities. Do not be worried about what is cool or potential embarrassment, or seeming like a teacher's pet or whatever other sophomoric and childish responses. Your curiosity must have a bank of potential likes and dislikes to have any clue of piecing together what you really would want to do and be meant to do.

This does not mean that you become a sculptor and say to your parents to pay for your room and board until you are 55. No, the test of such interest, passion, and drive -- to be a sculptor, lets say -- is to be willing to work and fight for it. So if you have to flip burgers or deliver the mail while learning if sculpting is something you love and are good at, then that's what you GOT to do, and so you will do it. If not, well then that may be telling you something right there.

A quick way once you think of some possible activity that you'd want to do and live as a purpose and joy, as an act of expression is to seriously ask what would be the 5 best and worst things about the activity. Think about it seriously, after all it's you thinking FOR you, you counseling yourself. Own up to potential dislikes and research what you are unsure of. Example: Perhaps you find out that 95 out of 100 would be sculptors die broke and unknown over the centuries and even nowadays, that's a negative. Think about it until your gut reacts deeply and your heart and mind react to it physically. Is it still worth it, if so what came to your mind and heart to counterbalance it on the ledger.

While you are doing all this, think of the skills involved, how you might acquire these skills, even in more mundane ways. Example: If I wanted to be a professional frisbee thrower, would throwing and catching hand-tossed pizza dough strengthen my skill and muscles and coordination while paying my way in the interim. Sure sounds like a joke, but in truth, is it?

That's what you have to determine. Always realize that if you intend to go into a field that is highly competitive you have to measure your performance against them, realistically, in order to be a great success. That may not be something, with lack of experience, that you can judge well. But if you enjoy it and are willing to PAY THE PRICE in loss of time and money, then it likely be worth it. You'll have learned you weren't quite good enough or were, and you will have some interesting times to look back on. But measuring that price of time and money is very hard for the young to do. The young have one advantage though, they have the energy and time to recover from such mistakes.

One of the less good things about the educational systems of today and our materialistic society is that it often guides you down a very limited set of acceptable paths. There is a much larger menu to choose from out there, at least in most free democracies and republics.

Never forget that some choices and opportunities are luxuries, you can't guarantee that you will achieve them no matter how hard you work, if you do not have the required minimum talent and skills, and the flexible attitude, sometimes even the right help just at the right time. But you can learn from trying to achieve anything of true worth, which is never regrettable.

Now, how to find out what you may be interested in. This may be the most difficult thing, especially if you are versatile and like many things. Always step back at the end of a day and think about those people who you like or interested you. Ask for a moment why, try to focus on something that strikes you when you ask that question, then widen out and ask if that is a pattern you see in others that you admire, like, etc. Think also of their attitude so on.

But don't only focus on people, think also of various fields of knowledge, or various activities, or even various things, especially things which are created.

Beyond this remember that you cannot focus simply on something giving you joy or being a passion. Sorry, but such advice may sound literary and poetic, but then most poets reach sorry ends and the literary is not what you remember about your best friends and take to your grave. Such advice leads to a certain loneliness, it's like running a lighthouse knowing that there was no ocean and no ships that ever sail, what would be the point, the joy, whom would you share it with on those nights when you remembered how little purpose it served?

It's at those times that you must think of your life as something that is a theme. Finding that theme, that rhythm, that stride can take a while, and putting into coherent words may seem impossible but you'll find it in clues. Go back over your life every once in a while and think of what moments you remember, how those moments made you feel and why. Think of your favorite characters or stories in fiction and in real-life, and again ask what they make you feel and why. Is it reasonable to feel such a fear or such a joy, is there a pattern to it with other joys or fears. You can be honest with yourself. If you like ask others that care about you or that you trust that know you well or seem wise what they would say about you. Put it into the mix and see if it fits into the puzzle.

Above all things trust that you must explore, you must try, you must learn, you must live. Time is on your side when young. Some advice will be bad, if you know yourself well, you will see the inconsistency or learn something useful. If not, you can miss the truth and pay big-time.

People like to say that Nietschze said " Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger." Unfortunately, sadly, that isn't true. Whatever doesn't kill you is useful information, but it can maim you, and it can be the biggest mistake you ever make except for that information -- but knowing that is being adult and risking is part of finding out what you are willing to risk doing with your life.

One last thing. Pretend that your hidden talent is like your hidden soulmate out there or that girl you want to get the attention of -- how do you do that without coming on too strong, crashing and burning -- or WORSE missing out on that real soulmate watching you from the other side of the room ? Simple, start doing what she likes -- if you like it to then you'll probably like her -- if you don't -- well lesson learned. Or maybe you'll learn that's it's the way she bats her eyelashes and not the country line dancing that makes it fun. Same thing with dreams, plans, passions, interests, and passing curiosities. Approach everything with a plan , and like De Niro's character says in the movie Ronin , I never go in a way that I don't know a way out. That is, Always have an exit plan and a plan B. And like his character remember that every weapon, etc is just part of a toolbox, you use the appropriate tool for the appropriate moment, and you never discard a useful tool if you can afford to keep it.

If nothing else that philosophy will make it seem less like guesswork and at least a plan worth living, winning and losing all just additional information to help choose your life's work, it will make you willful, hopeful, and always open to opportunity and always interested in others.

You could say, that's a life worth living right there. You may not yet know what you are "going to do with your life", but at least this way you know what "to do" in the interim.

I wish you well my adventurous friend, here's a toast to your ship, young Captain, sailing the magnificent high seas.

Answer 2

Seek your bliss. Though colleges nowadays treat students like they should have all their ducks lined up in a row, it remains one of the better places to investigate the alternatives open to you.

Follow your interests. Keep trying new things, doing new things, and accept that as life changes you will change too.

Answer 3

You ignored 2: LIFE, AND WHY? God made you considering that He loves you. You have this type of factor referred to as 'reason', that's why you're specified, one among a style. That makes you 'distinct', distinct to not me, who cares approximately me, however distinct to the person who created you--God. So, having coming to this end it might do you such a lot well, to seek His will on your lifestyles, and reside it to the first-class of your capacity. Good good fortune.

Answer 4

well...one thing would help...always bring a small notebook...or write a journal...mostly about what things u like to do and dont.

then after a month or so...you will see a pattern of things that u really enjoy.

but the most effective way to find out is while u r attending school...because you will experience and see subject that u really enjoy ...(history, chemistry etc etc...)

Answer 5

i found you go a lot farther if you do something you like,, why study for a job, you will hate,,, , so pick something you like doing, it may be less money, but in the long run you make more,