Why exactly is it so hard to figure out what to do with our lives?
As a college senior, I wish I could have earned a penny every time anybody told me they didn’t know what they wanted to do with their lives. And unless you are a pre-industrial revolution farmer, you too will probably wonder about this at some point, even if you haven’t yet had the pleasure.
Moreover, in my observation, many people find this to be a stressful question, rather than an exciting one. The worry it can add to an otherwise pleasant life is staggering. And the Bob Marley posters aren’t helping. Let’s dive deeper here.
The reason we get so overwhelmed here is because of the enormous array of options available to any educated person these days. With so many thousands of ways to earn a living, how could we possibly be expected to consider each one? It would take ten lifetimes. So instead of doing that, we use various assumptions to rule out certain options and consider a select few. Then, we worry about what we might have missed in the meantime. The fear of making a mistake drives the anxiety.
But imagine for a moment if we could just keep the fear under control. Not erased, but managed. Then we would be able to realize that the option to choose is a blessing. Much of the world does not have the advantage of deciding for themselves how to best utilize their talents and interests. That pre-industrial revolution farmer we discussed may not have worried about making a life mistake, but he also didn’t have the opportunity we have today. Once we realize this, we move a step in the right direction.