6 answers
Violet
Student
Elk River, Minnesota
4
Questions
Asked
573 views
Do I have to know what I want to do with my life yet? Do I really have to care all that much?
I'm not very educational and I have no idea what I want to do with my life <3 #school
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6 answers
Dominick Donaldson
Employee Feedback Manager
6
Answers
Columbia, South Carolina
Updated
Dominick’s Answer
Hi Violet!
This is a great question and I'm glad you posed it here. The short answer is: No. No, you don't have to have it all figured out and you don't have to care that much. There is a myth out there that may vary a bit between different communities but essentially always boils down to this: you should go to college, you should graduate by 22, and you should have a start in your career at that same age. Then a house by the time your 30, spouse, kids, on and on. The truth is that everyone develops at their own pace. The magic of being young is the awesome opportunity you have to explore everything the world has to offer and eventually find what satisfies and fulfills you. I encourage you to do that! Just know that for most people, a satisfying and fulfilling life doesn't just fall into your lap. Instead you've got to take some steps to gain some awareness of what's out there. My advice would just be to read a little, go on a trip or two, start to broaden your horizons. You never know; maybe inspirational will find you and you'll be off to the races from there.
Read about something you find even mildly interesting.
What youtube videos that explore your interests (ex: you like TV shows or cartoons? Watch a videos on being in the TV industry or being an animator.)
Take a trip or two to see your interests in person. Maybe even shadow some professionals.
Start the path that takes you to doing what your interested in. You'll find how to start that path in the previous steps.
Keep in mind that your path is always and can only ever be your own!
This is a great question and I'm glad you posed it here. The short answer is: No. No, you don't have to have it all figured out and you don't have to care that much. There is a myth out there that may vary a bit between different communities but essentially always boils down to this: you should go to college, you should graduate by 22, and you should have a start in your career at that same age. Then a house by the time your 30, spouse, kids, on and on. The truth is that everyone develops at their own pace. The magic of being young is the awesome opportunity you have to explore everything the world has to offer and eventually find what satisfies and fulfills you. I encourage you to do that! Just know that for most people, a satisfying and fulfilling life doesn't just fall into your lap. Instead you've got to take some steps to gain some awareness of what's out there. My advice would just be to read a little, go on a trip or two, start to broaden your horizons. You never know; maybe inspirational will find you and you'll be off to the races from there.
Dominick recommends the following next steps:
Thank you!
Violet
You're welcome!
Dominick Donaldson
Dominick, you nailed this! We put WAY too much pressure on our young people!
Kim Igleheart
Rachel Albritton
14
Answers
Goleta, California
Updated
Rachel’s Answer
Absolutely not. It can take years to decades for people to find the right tracks for themselves. There is no set plan/time limit that humans must abide to. Explore your interests in order to find out what you would enjoy doing later in life. If you are not very school oriented, join the work force to learn new experiences and determine what you like doing and what you don’t. Take a community college course to hone in your abilities and interests. But most importantly, take your time and move at your pace.
Ulises Lua
Safety Manager
5
Answers
Anaheim, California
Updated
Ulises’s Answer
Great questions Violet! The answer can be yes and no. We think we should have everything figured out by the time we finish high school and choose the college/university of our dreams. Everyone works differently and you are not expected to be perfect. I went to 2 different community colleges before transferring to a university. I went through 3 different majors because I was not just what I wanted to do. At 27 years of age I always tell myself that I’m still not satisfied. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, I just know I am capable of doing more than what I’m already doing. Whether that be helping others, running a business, working a 9 to 5. Find what you're interested in and understand that you may fail at first, but it doesn’t mean you should give up. Keep trying and soon enough as time goes by you will realize what you want in life. Don’t be afraid of failure, because that we only push you further to want to succeed.
Kim Igleheart
Career Counselor | Police Officer
1750
Answers
San Antonio, Texas
Updated
Kim’s Answer
Violet,
I love Dominick's answer! But. . . if you just float aimlessly through life, before you know it, you will be 60 years old wondering where it all went. It starts going by Really Fast as you get older. Plus, unless you are independently wealthy, or plan to live at home for forever, you will need a source of income capable of supporting your chosen lifestyle.
None of us want to work in jobs that we hate, so, you do need to figure out what you like doing. And, about college. Two things. One, it's a whole lot more expensive than it used to be. Two, it is a whole lot easier to learn and retain information when you are young. And, three, it's a lot easier to have the self-discipline to go to class when you have been doing it for the past 12 years, than after you have had five years of freedom.
Careers aren't as locked in as they once were. Many people nowadays actually change jobs every 2-5 years, using the skills/experience from one to transition to something else. So, you don't have to have your whole life figured out. But, start exploring, start thinking about it. Perhaps think about what you do not want to do, as sometimes that is easier!
Don't feel that you have to follow a traditional path. A woman I know gave up office work at the age of 40 to become a blacksmith! Anyway, life is an adventure. Enjoy it!
I love Dominick's answer! But. . . if you just float aimlessly through life, before you know it, you will be 60 years old wondering where it all went. It starts going by Really Fast as you get older. Plus, unless you are independently wealthy, or plan to live at home for forever, you will need a source of income capable of supporting your chosen lifestyle.
None of us want to work in jobs that we hate, so, you do need to figure out what you like doing. And, about college. Two things. One, it's a whole lot more expensive than it used to be. Two, it is a whole lot easier to learn and retain information when you are young. And, three, it's a lot easier to have the self-discipline to go to class when you have been doing it for the past 12 years, than after you have had five years of freedom.
Careers aren't as locked in as they once were. Many people nowadays actually change jobs every 2-5 years, using the skills/experience from one to transition to something else. So, you don't have to have your whole life figured out. But, start exploring, start thinking about it. Perhaps think about what you do not want to do, as sometimes that is easier!
Don't feel that you have to follow a traditional path. A woman I know gave up office work at the age of 40 to become a blacksmith! Anyway, life is an adventure. Enjoy it!
I appreciate this, thank you for the advice.
Violet
Timothy Dosch
Customer Experience Strategy Development
1
Answer
Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
Updated
Timothy’s Answer
Hi Violet-
This is not only a great question, it is also a very common question that I think we all ask ourselves and might continue to ask ourselves throughout our lives.
I just want to let you know before I answer your questions, I too was not a big fan of school in my youth and honestly I did not understand the point or the value of what I was being taught then. However, now as an adult, I realize that if I had known what I know now, then, I most likely would have had a different perspective and really enjoyed learning and being in school. My passion for learning came much later in life but, I hope I am able to spark yours sooner than it took for mine to be sparked.
To answer your first question. The best advice I can give you is No! You do not have to know exactly what you want to do with the rest of your life yet. There are so many people out there who end up with careers that are completely different from what they majored in when in college and there are also many people who make complete career changes even as adults. Some people know what they want to be career wise from a very young age, and then there are people out there who even as they near retirement, do not know what they want to do with their life yet. The best outlook and position to take, is that life is a journey, almost like a game, where every move/decision we make can take us to a different destination. What is important is figuring out what kind of journey we want to create for ourselves, because at the end of the day, we have that choice whether to stick with something or to change course and go down a different path.
Here is some advice I gave to my nephew recently who is a Freshman in High School and where he had a very similar question. I advised him not to define success based on what others think or how they choose to define success. Figure out what makes you happy, excited, and even challenges you in a way because then you won't get bored. For example, if you like to be creative, artistic, and also like working on computers there are a bunch of careers out there that those 3 passions work together greatly, such as, graphic design, brand management, code writing, video game programing, and app development just to name a few. Another example is if you are into cooking, design, and history, potential career options could be in the culinary field, teaching, restaurant/food or business consulting, restaurant/food or business management, or archaeology and preservation. While all very different in some aspects they technically can check all three boxes of doing something that makes you happy, keeps you excited and also challenges you.
My point for the above is, once we figure out what we like in the most basic way, we can then find the value in what we are learning. Because if you like cooking for instance, measurements in baking is part of math, the way in which ingredients react to one another is part of science, and by doing research for recipes that others have already completed requires a passion for looking at what has already happened in the past. You are able to then look at education from a different perspective, a more inquisitive mindset where you want to understand what makes things work, so you can create your own masterpieces. This example could be applied to any combination of three things that make you happy, excited, and give you a challenge.
My three things are: making people happy, being creative, and problem solving. My job now is customer experience strategy and development for my company where I get to figure out creative ways to create experiences that make people happy.
To answer your second question, the answer is Yes! You should care a lot about what you want your future to consist of and where you want to be in your life in the future. That does not mean you have to have all the answers or have it all figured out right now. But you should care about everything you do, both personally and professionally when the time comes. Because, what you do professionally will play a significant role in your personal life, for instance being able to buy stuff and have the chance at new experiences like traveling the world. And the fact you asked this question, means you do care a lot about what you want your life to be like in the future.
Please keep in mind, you are only in High School and your journey is only just starting. You are barely approaching the starting line of the journey you are about to experience and create for yourself. You are going to learn and experience a lot in life. Just remember that at the end of the day, this journey you are about to experience is solely just your journey and you are both the creator and the navigator of that journey.
I know my response was long, but I hope my advice helped give a new perspective on how you can approach this soon to be next phase/journey in your life. Maybe just start by figuring out what makes you happy, what gets you excited, and what challenges you that you also enjoy and then from there, you might begin to see the value in what you are learning now in school and will help you begin to figure out what you want to do with your life.
I hope this helps.
Best of luck with everything!
-Tim D.
Figure out what makes you happy
Figure out what makes your excited
Figure out what challenges you but that also you enjoy at the same time.
Setup time with a career/guidance councilor at school to discuss what options might be available
Learn as much as you can, for knowledge is power and the more you know and understand the more success you will be on your journey
This is not only a great question, it is also a very common question that I think we all ask ourselves and might continue to ask ourselves throughout our lives.
I just want to let you know before I answer your questions, I too was not a big fan of school in my youth and honestly I did not understand the point or the value of what I was being taught then. However, now as an adult, I realize that if I had known what I know now, then, I most likely would have had a different perspective and really enjoyed learning and being in school. My passion for learning came much later in life but, I hope I am able to spark yours sooner than it took for mine to be sparked.
To answer your first question. The best advice I can give you is No! You do not have to know exactly what you want to do with the rest of your life yet. There are so many people out there who end up with careers that are completely different from what they majored in when in college and there are also many people who make complete career changes even as adults. Some people know what they want to be career wise from a very young age, and then there are people out there who even as they near retirement, do not know what they want to do with their life yet. The best outlook and position to take, is that life is a journey, almost like a game, where every move/decision we make can take us to a different destination. What is important is figuring out what kind of journey we want to create for ourselves, because at the end of the day, we have that choice whether to stick with something or to change course and go down a different path.
Here is some advice I gave to my nephew recently who is a Freshman in High School and where he had a very similar question. I advised him not to define success based on what others think or how they choose to define success. Figure out what makes you happy, excited, and even challenges you in a way because then you won't get bored. For example, if you like to be creative, artistic, and also like working on computers there are a bunch of careers out there that those 3 passions work together greatly, such as, graphic design, brand management, code writing, video game programing, and app development just to name a few. Another example is if you are into cooking, design, and history, potential career options could be in the culinary field, teaching, restaurant/food or business consulting, restaurant/food or business management, or archaeology and preservation. While all very different in some aspects they technically can check all three boxes of doing something that makes you happy, keeps you excited and also challenges you.
My point for the above is, once we figure out what we like in the most basic way, we can then find the value in what we are learning. Because if you like cooking for instance, measurements in baking is part of math, the way in which ingredients react to one another is part of science, and by doing research for recipes that others have already completed requires a passion for looking at what has already happened in the past. You are able to then look at education from a different perspective, a more inquisitive mindset where you want to understand what makes things work, so you can create your own masterpieces. This example could be applied to any combination of three things that make you happy, excited, and give you a challenge.
My three things are: making people happy, being creative, and problem solving. My job now is customer experience strategy and development for my company where I get to figure out creative ways to create experiences that make people happy.
To answer your second question, the answer is Yes! You should care a lot about what you want your future to consist of and where you want to be in your life in the future. That does not mean you have to have all the answers or have it all figured out right now. But you should care about everything you do, both personally and professionally when the time comes. Because, what you do professionally will play a significant role in your personal life, for instance being able to buy stuff and have the chance at new experiences like traveling the world. And the fact you asked this question, means you do care a lot about what you want your life to be like in the future.
Please keep in mind, you are only in High School and your journey is only just starting. You are barely approaching the starting line of the journey you are about to experience and create for yourself. You are going to learn and experience a lot in life. Just remember that at the end of the day, this journey you are about to experience is solely just your journey and you are both the creator and the navigator of that journey.
I know my response was long, but I hope my advice helped give a new perspective on how you can approach this soon to be next phase/journey in your life. Maybe just start by figuring out what makes you happy, what gets you excited, and what challenges you that you also enjoy and then from there, you might begin to see the value in what you are learning now in school and will help you begin to figure out what you want to do with your life.
I hope this helps.
Best of luck with everything!
-Tim D.
Timothy recommends the following next steps:
Nathan Simpson
Full time student part time work
31
Answers
West Milton, Ohio
Updated
Nathan’s Answer
No, you don’t need to know exactly what you want to do! I think you should set little goals for yourself. Depending on if your in high school just starting out college, or just graduating high school, start small. Getting a career for the rest of your life isn’t something you’ll come up with in a week. Make small goals toward what you want to do in anything. Say you are in high school. Set a goal to finish a semester, then finish the year. Just start small. Search through your interests and see what career fields you could possibly do from those interests then build off of that by seeing what you need to get into that career field. Take your time, don’t rush!