What do you really want in life? What is your life's purpose? While the answer might come easily to some, most of us feel quite burdened and unsure about how to proceed. Personal Empowerment Life Coach and Executive Coach Smita D Jain elaborates upon the seven questions to help you figure out the answer.
You only get one life and, naturally, want to make the most of it.
But what do you really want in life? While the answer might come easily to a lucky few, most of us feel quite burdened and unsure about how to proceed. At the outset of their careers, many people are content to take whatever job pays the most, only to realise at a later stage that they want more out of life.
It is possible to have a fulfilling life along with a job that pays the bills on time each month. Provided you give the question the time it deserves. Answer the questions below and be sure to make a decision. Failing to choose can create more challenges than choosing the wrong thing.
7 Questions to help you find out what you want to do in your life
1. How hard are you willing to work?
If you want to be a billionaire, it will take tremendous work. But, maybe you’re the type of person who has a lot of hobbies and likes to spend evenings at home or with your friends. Are you willing to take away from some of this personal time and commit those hours to the additional work required to be a billionaire?
Be realistic. Think about how much time you’re willing to work on something and ensure that the options under your consideration fall within that limit.
2. What are your values?
Values are an excellent starting point for understanding your life’s direction. Someone who values security and success will have a different purpose in life than the one who favours family and fun above all else. Most people aren’t aware of their values because they have never thought about them.
Make a list of every value you have, and then prioritise your list by placing the most important values at the top. Focus on the top ten. What you want to do with your life should support those values.
3. What were your past aspirations?
What did you like to do as a child? What did you want to become at that time? What have you enjoyed doing in the past? What did you find fun and exciting? You already know yourself quite well, and the pointers from history will help you choose a fulfilling future.
4. What are your interests right now?
What are you curious about? What would you like to spend your time learning and doing? What do you spend time on without keeping track of the hours doing it?
Consider your aspirations and interests from your point of view and not from the perspective of your parents, spouse, friends and colleagues. From the time we talk, we are programmed to “fit in” and conform to the people we love and those who love us. In the process, we suppress the real person inside us. Find Your Real Self to rediscover the real you.
5. What are your strengths?
What are you already good at? Could you build those strengths further and apply them to your life in a meaningful way?
6. How can you best contribute to the world?
You’ll feel good about yourself if you’re helping others. Answering the above question will help you come up with ideas that are good for others and yourself.
Ask yourself how you can alleviate some of the world’s suffering. Some people accomplish this by telling jokes on a stage or by fixing broken transmissions. How can you be most useful to the world?
7. What do you not like to do?
Perhaps you hate the thought of working in an office environment. Or maybe you don’t like working long hours or working with teams. Think about jobs you’ve had in the past and what you didn’t like about them. Consider your list of dislikes before formulating a plan for the future.
The Last Word to Understand What Do You Really Want in Life
Since you’ll be living the rest of your life for the rest of your life, take the time to figure out how you want to spend it. Ask yourself these important questions and consider what you like and don’t like. Understand your values and how you can incorporate them into your vision for the future. The answers may point you toward a job or even a career change. Read this step-by-step guide to successfully build a new career path.
Figure out what you want in life, and then go live it.
Thinking about changing careers but unsure how to go about it? Perhaps you are scared of failure or are considering if it is financially viable. Confused or scared?
Take the Free ‘Are You in The Right Career Assessment’ to identify whether you are in the right job and discover what type of jobs you will excel at.
The results of this test will be your guide towards a successful career change.
Smita D Jain is a Certified Personal Empowerment Life Coach, Executive Coach and NLP Coach Practitioner. Smita’s ‘Empower Yourself’ Personal Clarity Coaching Programs enable busy professionals unhappy in their jobs to find time for their passions and transform them into professions so that they work because they want to, not because they have to.
Prior to her journey as a coach, Smita had extensive experience of 14 years as a corporate and business strategy professional with Fortune 500 companies. She is also a speaker at various public forums, a published writer, and an Amazon bestselling author.
You can learn more about Smita’s ‘Empower Yourself’ Coaching Programs by visiting www.lifecoachsmitadjain.com and booking a complimentary strategy session at https://www.lifecoachsmitadjain.com/booking.