Move down your list and consider how realistic each option is. Be honest with yourself, and scratch off things that you know you’ll never actually do. If you like the sound of being a neuroscientist, but you know that you don’t have the patience to work through a Ph. D program, then you probably aren’t going to become a full-fledged neuroscientist. This does not mean, of course, that you can’t read about neuroscience, volunteer for cognitive research studies, or think about neuroscience in your spare time. If you like the sound of being a firefighter, and you can actually see yourself being a firefighter–you’re strong and quick, you can stay calm under pressure, you’re willing to brush with danger–then do some research and further investigate the job. Run a web search for “how to become a firefighter”. Read online forums about what it’s like to be a firefighter. Speak to firefighters in real life and ask them about their job.
Remember that it’s alright to not have everything figured out. Maybe you have a dream lifestyle but not a dream job. That’s great! You’re just brainstorming, so don’t worry too much if you don’t have everything planned. Try using online tools to figure out your personality type and see what you’re most suited for. [2] X Research source
Consider your values. What is important to you?[3] X Expert Source Adrian Klaphaak, CPCCLife Coach Expert Interview. 18 December 2018. What standards do you want to live your life by, no matter where you end up or what you find yourself doing? Consider your skills, and what you’re willing to learn. Are you great at talking to people? Do you have a mathematical mind? Are you good at putting things together, or good at figuring things out? Are you willing and able to go to school in order to get onto a certain career track? Consider your financial standing. Do you have money saved up? Are your parents paying for everything? Can you afford to take classes, or live on your own, or travel? Many of the good things in life may be free, but money can be an invaluable tool for getting where you want to go. Consider your mobility. Are you willing and able to move across the planet for a job or an adventure, or are you tied to one specific place? Do you have the money to uproot yourself? Do you have obligations–taking care of family or pets, or staying with a significant other–that you don’t feel comfortable leaving behind?
Ask your friends and family what they can see you doing. They may not be able to give you all the answers, but they may have suggestions that point you in the right direction. You may be surprised at what they tell you. Imagine yourself in someone else’s shoes. If you think you might want to be, say, a teacher, think about what it means to be a teacher: you’ll spend much of your time around kids and other teachers; you might not be a millionaire, but you’ll get summers off; you’ll need to spend evenings and weekends grading assignments and preparing lessons; you’ll have a powerful hand in shaping the minds of tomorrow. Consider whether these are realities that you’re willing to live with.
Think of choosing a vocation as a process of asking questions and answering them. If you want to know more about something, explore it further. If you discover that you don’t like it, then you can use that knowledge to move forward and try something different. Visit workplaces and ask to shadow people. If you think you might be interested in working as a police officer, visit or email your local police department and ask to ride along with an officer for a day. If you think you might want to be an elementary school teacher, contact your local school board and ask to shadow a teacher–and consider registering as a substitute teacher to get classroom experience. If you can afford it, consider taking unpaid internships or asking companies if you can work for them for free. Immerse yourself in a company culture and a way of thinking, and see how you like it.
It can be paralyzing to stare at a huge list of possibilities. Until you try things out, for better or worse, and make them real, everything will only ever be an abstract possibility. It may feel safe to live in a world where everything is theoretically possible, but eventually you will need to choose something–or choose nothing. You don’t have to stick with this job, journey, or lifestyle for the rest of your life. The point of getting started is to figure out what you can and can’t do with your life. Choose something that you enjoy; something that feels real; something that leads somewhere else, and makes you grow as a person. You may find that the very act of working toward something–even if it isn’t your be-all-end-all “life goal”–gives you perspective on what you want to do with your life. At worst, you’ll know what you don’t want to do with your life, and you can scratch something else off the list.
Apply for AmeriCorps. You can sign up to work for anywhere from two months to a year; you must be 18-24 years old. Projects range from trail-building in state parks to working with disadvantaged inner-city children in urban elementary schools. Volunteers receive a small living stipend, usually several hundred dollars, each month, and alumni can receive scholarships for higher education. [10] X Research source Join the Peace Corps. You will spend two years helping to stabilize an at-risk or underdeveloped community. Openings range all over the globe; you could serve in Brazil, South Africa, Vietnam, or Ukraine. You can work to teach English as a second language, or help small businesses grow in an underdeveloped economy, or help boost food security in a rural village. You will work with a community, use your time to make the world a better place, and maybe figure out how you want to spend the rest of your life. [11] X Research source Volunteer on an organic farm with WWOOF: World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. You work on an organic farm for anywhere from a week to forever; in return, the farmers feed you, give you a place to sleep, and teach you about farming. For a small registration fee, you can access a network of thousands of organic farmers who are looking for help–some are looking for seasonal workers to come and go, and some are looking for long-term commitments. You can contact a farm that sounds interesting and be volunteering there within a week. [12] X Research source
