How do I figure out what I really want to do with my life?

Question

I am almost 20 years old and I have almost NO idea where I am going in life. I am currently employed at a dry cleaners (not my first pick of a job but the hours are to my liking) and plan to attend college this coming fall. I recieved my GED a year and a half ago after leaving the public school system (left because of a mixture of loathing for the system and clinical depression).

I want a future doing something important. Something to make som sort of change. I am not lazy and I usualy test well off the charts, but I am lost.

I enjoy art, writing, video games, history, math, geology, religion (studying all sorts), cooking for my family, animals (from dogs to snakes to fish) and I enjoy talking (intellectually) about sex. I also have been told that i enjoy a good argument.

I guess what my question is: How do i figure out what I really want to do with my life. I dont want to waste money in school learning to be a teacher when I realize I want to be a chef.

Answer 1

This is what I had to do... I went to a University that was the cheapest but wellknown(BYUI) There i took classes that i had hobbies in (Sewing, Cooking, gardenin, agrinomics...) From that i decided that Horticulture was definently my thing. My class was identification which was challenging, but i do love a challenge! try some ideas in your head like where will you sit in life if you did something like that. don't worry. there is a rate that 65% of people who go to colleges and universities have no idea what they want to do in life. all i have to say is go to college!! it is an experience that i will never forget and will never regret.

Answer 2

From personal experience, it's inconvenient but true; you won't know you like it until you've tried it. So try everything you can get your hands on. Chat it up with anyone and make new friends to learn about what is really out there. In the real world, it's not as cookie cutter as it seemed during high school career day. Sometimes it's not even as simple as what you are good at in school, because the job can be very different than the academic material.

My friend loved physics and graduated in physics...worked on designing jet plane engines and cool sounding stuff. But in reality, the day to day job was spent in a cubicle doing the same calculations over and over. He realized he was the happiest when chatting with people and felt more satisfaction with quicker paced environments so he's back in school to do finance.

Another friend told me she wanted to be a doctor, because she said she liked biology and helping people. She didn't do well enough in school, and she was really bummed. But she joined a capoeira class just for fun and met some cool people who worked in the movie industry and now she's a stunt person and loving every second.

So do everything you can do- join clubs, talk to the old man who comes into the laundromat- if you meet the right people who seem interesting, ask if you can set up a shadowing day or volunteer or internship where they work. Even briefly you can tell whether or not you see yourself happy in that career.

One thing I have noticed from your question stem is that you like more expansive, ever-evolving topics. Perhaps you can go to a nearby college/university and sit in on some of the classes (before you register for them!) and see if their discussions interest you. Take a philosophy, and english, math, higher lever science, history- whatever!

You will have a better idea if you expose yourself to more things. When you find what you're passionate about, you may realize you will be willing to do the work to get there, no matter how hard!

Answer 3

What would you do if you had a million dollars in your bank account right now?

They say whatever the answer is to that question is what you are supposed to do. If you said, 'travel the world' maybe you should be a pilot or a cruise ship captain. If you say, 'open a resteraunt' then become a chef. If you say, 'help out children' then become a teacher.

Anyway, thats what I have heard before.

All the above answers are right also, its hard to make up your mind. The average person will change careers 7 times in their life. So, don't feel as if you're the only one who struggles with this question.

Answer 4

I was 43 when I figured out what I want to be when I grow up. I hate to put a damper on this existential angst in which you are revelling -- but it will fade as you age.

There are three ways to go through life. One is to set goals and figure out a way to get there, another is to be intellectually curious about everything and be open to possibilities. The third is to remain clueless.

Most people concentrate on the first -- where you have to know where you are going. It is great, if you feel comfortable with your goals. The problems with that approach are twofold. First, because you are set on a goal, you may miss opportunities. Second, you may wake up in your 40s and discover that you hate what you are doing.

Choices made at 20 are not always the choices you want to have to live with at 40.

I think that the key is to switch off between the first two methods. Have some short term goals, but be open to new opportunities. You haven't gone to college yet -- take different sorts of classes while you are there. Be open to where they can take you. By the time you need to think about goals -- you will be half way there.

Good luck.

Answer 5

Get in touch with the career couseling center at the nearest university, and request an appointment. (You might also find a career counseling service in the yellow pages.) Take two tests: 1) Birkman test (most important); and 2) Myers-Briggs. These two tests will help to give you direction. They can tell you a lot about your personality, interests, and strengths/weaknesses. I am always surprised to hear how few students have actually taken these tests or spoken with a career counselor. By the way, my cousin barely graduated high school (lots of Fs), and he now has a degree and owns a very large and successful business. If you want it, you will succeed.

I wish you the best of luck with everything!

Answer 6

I know what you mean, I'm graduating from college tomorrow and I'm still not 100% sure. Life is full of insecurities and uncertainties. I've decided I love money, so I'm going to get an MBA and an MA in Industrial Psychology, right move? MAYBE. We'll see.

Take all of your GEs first, that helped me pick a major. But decide if you really love to cook, b/c you may want to go to culinary school. Maybe cater an event to test yourself.

(I'm 21, so I see where your coming from to an extent)

Answer 7

It may sound corny, but go back to your high school and ask a guidance counselor. Or if you live in a large (ish) city, there may be a company or government agency that can help you determine what you want to do. In PA we have an agency called "Career Link" that offers counseling and placement for people just like you. I would think most states have a similar agency. Good Luck!

Answer 8

I like your question, but unfortunatly I don't have much advice. I'm in the same situation. I've been going to college for the past four years and I keep changing my major, everything from nursing, to buisness, to accounting, to teacher, and now I'm just going to graduate with my generals. It sucks. I just don't know what I want to do. So sorry I don't have an answer for you, but one thing I have learned, is that by taking different classes in college, I've been able to really find out what interests me. It's probably my ADHD that's making it so hard for me to settle on a career. Who knows...I'll be interested in any advice you get to this question. Good Luck!

Answer 9

I think you just have to give it time. This happened to me when I was 11 years old and I still find it hard now (after 7 years) but you just have to keep going on. And the first step to take is to learn the country's language. It helps very much...

Answer 10

Give it time. As you grow older you may be able to make a better decision. I'm 49 & still haven't figured it out!