Okay, Now What?

How to figure out the work you want to do

Author

Jessica Wolf
March 04, 2024

Jenny was worried. She explains, “I don’t know what I’m doing anymore. I’m good at a lot of things, but I don’t know the path I need to take.”

Some people are born with a single vision of what they want to do in life. Most people are not. It’s okay to not know what you want to do in 5 or 10 years. Maybe you want to be successful, but you don’t know how to define that. Maybe you just want to make a lot of money. Shhh, don’t tell anyone!

How do you figure out what you want to do next?

  1. While you’re working, make a mental or physical note when an activity truly makes you happy and you feel accomplished. You may get external validation with certain activities, but you have to determine how you feel about it. You might be good at something that doesn’t necessarily bring you joy.

  2. If you were not getting paid and had all the time in the world, what would you want to be doing? This is not to say you should spend your life watching tv. Instead, think about what skills you have that you would share for free.

  3. What’s something you’ve always wanted to try, but never had time for? Maybe you’ve always wanted to go hiking or start painting or take that class on AI. Even hobbies can help you understand where your true passions lie. Maybe you really like exploring or being creative and need to incorporate that into your work.

  4. What is it about what you’re currently doing that you don’t enjoy or is making you bored? It’s entirely possible you’re not challenging yourself or need a different environment. Do something that takes you outside of your comfort zone and see what happens. You might surprise yourself.

  5. Don’t rule out the fact that what you’re currently doing might still be right for you. It’s possible you just need a change of pace like a more complex project or learning a new tool.

  6. If any of these questions led you to generalized answers like ‘providing value’, go another level and ask yourself ‘How do I want to provide value?’ The standard questions who, what, where, when, how, and why are great for digging a little deeper to determine your true passion.

Advice for Jenny - Find a job description that sounds like it was made just for you. Don’t be afraid to go on a different path. That’s what transferable skills are for.

Advice for the person who wants to make money - When you figure out what makes you happy, you’ll want to put in the time and effort. The Sunday Scaries go away. You’ll wake up in the morning and be excited to do the job. Challenges are something to overcome and thrive from. The money will follow.

Sometimes you need an outsider’s perspective to get clarity. Sometimes you just need a break. Let me help you figure it out.

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