A Guide to Figuring Out What You Really Want
This month we are talking about life alignment and specifically evaluating whether or not our lives and our careers reflect our deepest intentions and align with the people that we want to be at our core.
But how do you know if you’re on the right path or if some adjustments need to be made?
There is something about that exploration that is so primal and so awesome that our immediate response is often to ignore the very weight of it. That’s when you know you’re asking the right questions and it’s time to look deeper.
With so many options and societal pressures, it’s easy to get lost or end up pursuing a path that doesn’t truly resonate with you. But what if you could tap into your inner guidance to uncover a career that aligns with who you truly are? Here’s a guide to help you discover what you really want to do with your career, using one simple tool in the process.
New me, who dis?
Before you can figure out what you truly want to do, you need to understand who you are. This involves digging deep into your passions, values, strengths, and interests. Consider the following questions as a starting point:
- What activities make you lose track of time or put you into a “flow” state?
- What topics could you talk about for hours without getting bored?
- What do people often come to you for advice about?
Reflecting on these questions helps you tap into your innate interests and strengths, which are essential clues to your ideal career.
Document your journey!
When my first marriage started to slowly crumble around me and I was tap dancing on the edge of a dark depression, journaling was one of the tools that helped me get my head back on straight and see true north again. Journaling is one of the most powerful tools for self-discovery because it allows you to explore your thoughts and feelings in a non-judgmental space, uncovering insights that might otherwise remain hidden.
By regularly journaling, we become more in tune with our intuition and inner voice. Writing allows us to access insights and guidance that might otherwise remain buried in our subconscious. It’s a way of listening to ourselves and discovering truths that can guide our decisions and actions.
Try out the questions above or these journaling prompts to get started:
- What does my ideal day look like?
Write in detail about your ideal workday. Where are you working? What tasks are you performing? How do you feel throughout the day? This exercise can reveal aspects of your ideal career environment and tasks that bring you joy.
- What did I love doing as a child?
Children naturally gravitate toward activities that excite them. Reconnecting with these early passions can guide you toward a career that feels authentic and fulfilling. (Psst, did you hear my revelation on the podcast about my childhood forays with telekinesis?! I was (am?) a weird kid, simple as that.)
What do I really care about?
Your core values are the guiding principles that shape your decisions and behavior. When your career aligns with your values, you’re more likely to feel satisfied and motivated. Spend time journaling about what truly matters to you. Is it creativity, helping others, financial security, freedom, or something else? Use a journal to identify your top five core values. Once you’ve identified them, reflect on how these values can be integrated into your career. For instance, if “helping others” is a top value, you might thrive in a career centered on service or support.
Be open and flexible
So often we get caught up in the “hows” of life. We want to know exactly what our path forward will look like before we decide whether we want to embark on it. But that’s just not how life works! Often times, the only way to discover your true career path is through continued faith and experimentation. The beauty of this approach is that you don’t have to flip a switch and become a new person overnight. Instead, you can take on small projects, freelance work, or volunteer opportunities in the areas that interest you and see where those take you. This hands-on experience can provide clarity about what you enjoy and where your strengths lie. You might even use your newfound journaling skills to unpack the experiments and see what you liked or didn’t like about it…
Use your resources!
Talking to others who are already in fields you’re interested in can provide valuable insights. Reach out to professionals for informational interviews, join relevant networking groups, or find a mentor who can guide you through the process. Sometimes, an external perspective can illuminate aspects of yourself or your career path that you hadn’t considered. (It’s me, I’m a resource!)
Take a good look at it.
Visualization is a powerful technique to connect with your future self and your desired career. Spend time imagining your life five or ten years from now. Picture your career, your lifestyle, and how you feel in this future scenario. In your journal, write a detailed description of your future self, including your career, accomplishments, and daily life. This exercise helps you clarify your goals and align your actions with your desired future. Don’t skip this step! You don’t need to know your exact path forward but you do need to have a sense of the direction you want to be heading and visualization will help you clarify that direction.
Trust the Process
Figuring out what you truly want to do with your career is a journey, not a destination. It’s okay to change directions, make mistakes, and take time to explore. Trust that each step you take is bringing you closer to a career that resonates with your true self. With your ideal future in mind, ask yourself what simple steps you could take today to move toward that idea. Progress is made through consistent, intentional steps.
Conclusion
Finding your true career path is a deeply personal journey that requires introspection, exploration, and patience. By embracing self-discovery and using journaling as a tool, you can uncover a career that not only fulfills you but also aligns with your authentic self. Remember, the answers are within you; it’s just a matter of giving yourself the time and space to discover them.
When I was reeling from the impact of my divorce and trying to navigate the trauma following a decade of abuse, I went home to visit my parents. I noticed that my mom had picked up a new piece of art — some Banksy knockoff that included a quote by F. Scott Fitzgerald. She never said anything to me about the art or its meaning but I always felt like it was directed at me–I was, after all, the only child that was presently burning down her entire life only to begin anew, despite the very responsible lives my brothers were leading. I always felt like it was her silent confirmation that I was doing the right thing and that I had made the right choice. It made me feel seen. It made me feel brave. To this day, I love this quote so much and offer it to you all here in hopes that it will similarly inspire you as well.
“For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again.”
― Francis Scott Fitzgerald
