Favorite Ideas
- As you begin designing your life, start with where you are. How are you doing and feeling as far as your health, work, leisure, and relationships? Then, assess your views towards work and life, answering questions like "what does work mean to me?" and "why are we alive?". Don't be afraid to go deep!
- Build your way forward by following what excites you. Keep a journal of specific activities that energize you and keep you engaged. You might feel like you dislike your job, but what specific tasks are draining you, boring you, or causing you stress? What activities make you lose track of time and feel good?
- Explore alternative lives you would live if constraints were lifted. What would your life look like if you fully committed to your current path? What would it look like if you could not pursue your current path? What would it look like if money didn't matter? Avoid latching on to the first idea you have, and instead, use mind-mapping to explore many different possibilities.
- You don't have to make drastic changes to explore possibilities. Instead, talk to others who are doing what you want to do. Listen to their perspective and ask questions. Find other ways to get involved to see if you like something as much as you imagined you would. For example, if you are considering becoming a veterinarian but you currently work as an accountant, you can gain an understanding of what working with animals is like by talking to veterinarians and volunteering at a local animal shelter.
- Life is temporary. Your life is your evolution process, including the choices you make and what you learn from your failures. Don't focus so much on the goals that you miss the joy of becoming more you.