No more "I don't know what to do with my life" — 29 ways to find your mission and make an impact.

I think it's fair to say that most of us have uttered the words, "I don't know what to do with my life," at some point. So first and foremost, I want to emphasize that you’re in good (if confused) company.

Feeling purposeful is so important that it actually affects our mental and physical health. It may have even been an evolutionary response that helped our species to survive, but having to identify our purposes is relatively new to us. And many of us could use all the help we can get.

As someone who is no stranger to existential crises, I did some digging. Here's what I've found. I hope it helps.

"I don't know what to do with my life."

When contemplating what to do with your life, the trick is to find that sweet spot between passion, talent, real-world need, and monetary validation.

Check out my article on validation to figure out what what you can get paid for (and to some extent, what the world needs). Below, I'll address figuring out what you want and what your strengths are.

"What should I do?"

Let's start with a particularly useful exercise — asking yourself the right questions. Try it on the fly or while journaling (more on that later). Here's a good set to start with:

• What do I love doing?
• Why do I love doing it?
• What else might satisfy my "why"?
• Am I willing to put in the work for that?
• Will I make room for it in my life?
• Am I willing to fail while trying?

And here are a few more to get the juices flowing:

• What did I do when I was a kid — not for a reward but just for me? And what was I good at?
• What do people ask (and thank) me for?
• What would I do for free?
• What skills have supported me in the past?
• What do I do in my free time?
• What have been my greatest accomplishments? Are there any patterns?
• Where have I swapped enthusiasm for safety? Where am I making sacrifices that have cut me off from my enthusiasm?
• What do I want my obituary to say?

Next, here are some actionable steps and practices that can help you to figure out what you want to do:

• Be honest with yourself about who you are. Not who you wish you were. Or who your parents hoped you’d become. Be honest about what’s true for you now. You're not going to find your own way in life if you aren't brave enough to show up as you. Admit to loving what you love, or despising what you despise, or needing what you need. Be ready to own what you’re great at, and what you’re awful at.
• Live a healthy lifestyle. I know I harp on this a lot, but it really is the basis of just about everything. Exercise, eat healthy, meditate, and get outside. You'll have more energy and motivation, less anxiety, and tons of other scientifically-backed benefits. And most relevant, you'll have more access to your enthusiasm and clarity - two hugely important factors in zeroing in on what you love.
• Rank your options. Do a brain dump. Write out all of your current options. Then rank them and nix the lowest ranking ones. This is probably a pretty obvious step, but the reason for it might not be. Research shows that too many options reduce "neural signatures of choice." In other words, humans like options, but too many can create overwhelm. Narrowing them down makes your brain more capable of making good choices. If you need help, check out the article I wrote on prioritization.
• Notice what makes you jealous. Read stories about people who are living lives and working missions that excite you. And notice what aspects of their lives/missions make you the most jealous. Just be wary of hustle culture, as it can provide the wrong type of motivation.
• Job shadow and interview people doing interesting things. If you don't know what you want, pick a few paths that seem interesting and see if you can shadow someone or interview them about what they do. This can give you a glance into the realities of it.
• Volunteer. Helping others can bring you closer to finding meaning in your own life. At the very least, it will probably feel pretty good and you'll help others. And it might also lead you in the direction of your mission. If you want to do it through an organization, sites like VolunteerMatch or Idealist can help. Or you can just lend a hand to friends, neighbors, and strangers in need.
• Do some stream-of-consciousness writing. Just sit down, start a five-minute timer, begin writing about what you want to do, and see what comes out. The key is not to stop, even if all you're writing is "I don't know what to write."
• Journal. I find that this helps me to get clear on my desires and feelings. And gratitude journaling can be particularly helpful here because, in addition to its many benefits, it'll show you what you appreciate and help you to look for patterns. Then you can try to add more of what you like into each day.
• Follow your enthusiasm. The word “enthusiasm” comes from the Greek word, “enthousiasmos” meaning to be divinely inspired. This inspiration can connect you to what you were “meant” to do and lend you the energy to actually make that thing happen. Let it be your north star.
• Become part of a community. A lack of purpose can actually come from isolation because purpose often grows from relationships with others. This is probably one reason why so many of us are going through this right now.
• Get clear on your values. Think about what is important to you in your life. If you need a little nudge, check out the Valued Living Questionnaire, Portrait Values Questionnaire, or Personal Values Questionnaire.
• Get comfortable with discomfort. It's hard not knowing what you're here to do. And, since doing meaningful work tends to go against the norm, that can be uncomfortable too. Try to become ok with that discomfort. You can expand your capacity with breathwork, meditation, exercise, and practice.
• Confront your shame and embarrassment. Putting yourself out there, which is almost always required, is likely to be embarrassing at some point, and that's okay. Be embarrassed, then move on.
• Challenge your beliefs. Read widely, be curious, and explore topics outside of your comfort zone. Talk to people who aren't in your typical group of friends and colleagues.
• Begin an affirmation practice. You may think it's woo woo, but affirmations have been shown to decrease stress, increase (academic) achievement, and increase the neural pathways associated with positive valuation and self-related information processing. In other words, it may help you to understand yourself better. Try affirmations about finding your purpose.
• Vision board. To better understand your vision (and make it reality), why not try vision boarding? It harnesses the power of visualization, which has been shown to improve motivation, coordination, and concentration, while reducing anxiety and fear.
• Do some planning. Where do you want to be in 6 months? A year? Five years? Try to do some planning around your life. Here's a decent framework and here's a template that can help you put pen to paper. If you don't know the specifics, be general about it. What would you like to be different? How would you like to feel? Remember, this isn't just about your job, it's about your life. And if you're able to get specific, then consider setting some S.M.A.R.T. goals (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound) to get there.
• Do something. As Theodore Roosevelt said, "In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing." Just give something a shot — you can't find your passion without trying different things.
• Invest in your future. By that, I mean put some money aside so that there's less pressure on you when you decide to take the leap.
• Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. You're probably already doing things that are aligned with your desires and talents. Acknowledge where you're already nailing it — it can provide inspiration, confidence, and direction.

"What am I good at?"

Hopefully the above will help you figure out what you want to do. Here are some ways to figure out what you're good at so that you can match them up:

• Figure out what you like. Yeah, we basically just covered this above, but here's why I'm saying it again: People tend to like doing things that they're good at. So if you enjoy a task, the likelihood is that you've got skills.
• Figure out what skills and activities make you feel empowered. Same deal here. Your strengths tend to make you feel empowered, so this feeling can point to your strengths.
• Ask others what they think you're good at. Yeah, fishing for compliments is a little iffy, but sometimes, friends, family, and colleagues will point out strengths that you've never even considered. And if you’re feeling brave, ask what they think you’re not so great at — it could help you narrow down your options.
• Take the Johnson O'Connor Aptitude Test. It evaluates your skills and strengths, then gives you a list of jobs that align with them.
• Take the Clifton Strengths Assessment. It identifies natural abilities that can be developed into strengths, and lets you know how to grow them to their fullest potential.
• Take the O*NET Interests Profiler. By the US Department of Labor, this 20-minute questionnaire offers comprehensive information about key attributes, characteristics, and suggested careers.
• Take the Values in Action Inventory. It's a free, scientific survey of your strengths.
• Check out Human Design. For those who like to get a little "out there," check out Human Design. My wife got me into it, and I'd be lying if I said I haven't learned a lot about myself through it. Notably, Human Design explores how different kinds of people access creative energy.
• Accept your weaknesses. I can personally attest to this one. Pretending that a weakness isn't a weakness will hold you back. Be real with yourself. Either get better at it or let someone else do it.

"Figuring out what to do with my life is overwhelming."

If all that feels overwhelming, here are a few things that might ease your mind:

• This is a process of discovery. It's important to stop expecting to figure it all out and have a tidy little mission that you can put in your pocket. You'll probably have multiple missions throughout your life, and each one will be a journey in itself. You don't have to figure out your whole life now. And you don't have to tackle it all at once.
• You're further along than you think. I know it may not seem like it, but the journey doesn't start here. You've been moving toward your mission from day one. So congrats on all the progress you've made. 🎉 😉
• Try to enjoy what you're doing now. Maybe it's not going to be your forever gig, but that doesn't mean you can't try to find joy in it while you're doing it. It might even clue you into what you want (and don't want) for your future.
• It's never too late to make a change.
• And you are not alone in questioning your purpose.

"I know my mission but can't think up a business idea."

If you can't figure out a good business idea that is on-mission, my article on generating startup ideas might help.

Good luck! 🚀