Even my cat Zina knows that you need to do in life what you like, and not what you have to do (who, by the way, adheres to this postulate every day, namely: eats, sleeps and eats again). But, unlike cats, people, thank God, have a much wider range of self-realization. Therefore, many people have a question: in what business to show yourself? Why does my soul lie, my hands stand and goosebumps writhing in herds on my skin? How to find your dream job? And it’s yours, otherwise, sometimes, you can’t figure out whether you want it yourself, or whether this society and modern trends are imposing another interest on you.
What did I not do in search of myself! Yoga, dancing, basketball, modeling agency, three days of karate (there wasn’t enough for more), swimming, oil painting, poetry writing, theater and acting courses, vocals...
Photo from personal archive
The list could go on and on. But the voice of society says: it’s not good to spread yourself thin! So what should we do?
After searching Google for “I want to find my dream,” I received a ton of information, tests, and techniques. In this article I have collected five of the best methods that helped me at one time and, I hope, will help you understand the topic of your purpose. They all complement each other, so it will be much more effective if you go through and spend time on each of them. So, let's go.
What it is
This is any activity that brings pleasure, a sense of self-realization and other positive qualities. The work may be commercial or charitable, social and creative. But today I will talk about what also brings material benefits.
It is wrong to think that employment in someone else’s company is always a bad stage in life. Not all people are proactive and born with a calling to lead. Of the majority of smart, worthy employees, at least 50% will not be able to occupy leadership positions, but they are ideally suited to their place, become indispensable, and develop creatively and professionally.
For others, sitting in an office is contraindicated; it holds back their potential, opportunities and ambitions. But most of these individuals do not know how to find themselves in business in order to simultaneously realize themselves and not work at a loss. Non-profit activities – charity, creativity, social assistance – can also become a favorite activity. Initially, they were not created to receive money and other material benefits. But with the right approach, you can put each of these principles on the rails of business.
Example: Do you appreciate paintings and love to write? Exhibit your creativity in your own art gallery along with other emerging artists. This is both practical and consistent with the morality of art.
To summarize, “my favorite thing in life” is an activity that brings pleasure and does not make me want to leave my workplace as soon as possible. No chronic fatigue or autumn depression, only pleasant fatigue and a state of euphoria from the quality and quantity of work done. Women who have not found such a place, have not been able to realize themselves, very often cling to marriage and the birth of children as an attempt to leave an unloved office.
The purpose of life
It’s all about the desire to achieve success, get an education and a favorite, decent job.
However, these are not all the goals that modern people strive for. Much depends on personal preferences, aspirations, tastes, values and even upbringing. For example, in an intelligent family they try to give their children a higher education, teach them languages, and bring them out into the world. In middle-class society, parents strive to instill in their offspring work skills, but higher education is also a priority.
Even the lower classes will never refuse to reach a higher level. But it’s all about habits and lifestyle. By the way, dysfunctional parents may set high goals for themselves, but due to their illiteracy and lack of willpower, they never achieve their goals or desires. However, looking at a negative example, their offspring often rethink the situation and try to get out of the vicious circle.
In achieving goals it is important:
- Knowledge.
- Motivation.
- The desire to move forward.
Not everyone can find themselves in life, but everyone can do it - this is what psychologists say.
After all, in the modern world there are so many opportunities and diverse projects. You need to try different directions. And then someone will be able to make a great movie, another will be able to cure a friend or loved one, and a third will be able to earn decent money, become an excellent musician or create a wonderful collection of clothes.
A person can find meaning in life only by devoting himself to society. Albert Einstein
How to treat pragmatists: criticize them or consider them an example to follow?
Is it worth changing your usual life?
Routine is addictive. Let's figure out why a person who is not in his place does not change it? Causes:
- Stability. This is the limit of comfort. The narrower it is, the more stable the individual’s position in society, in the family. The most non-deformable geometric figure in this matter is a point. This is complete staticity, the absence of any actions or actions. But the narrower this circle, the fewer opportunities there are, including evading the blows of fate. We conclude: a stable position is an imaginary self-confidence, it is also shaky (you can be fired and other changes), but it limits you.
- Fear of change. What if it gets worse? Indeed, not every attempt ends in success, but in most cases it largely depends on the mood, confidence, and motivation. Fear paralyzes, makes you inactive, amorphous. But if you go with the flow, you will never gain more strength to resist the movement of the river.
- Family, friends, colleagues will not understand and will not support. Here a reasonable question arises - why do you need people around you and loved ones who value you only as a workhorse, but will not provide support when trying to become happier and will not tell you how to find what you like to do? Often this is a selfish friendship, based not on shared happiness, but on an attempt to feel more confident than a friend.
- Material instability. Many changes require financial security. If you are confident in your undertaking, you can take out a loan to develop your business or save in advance for start-up capital for several months.
All these reasons are fictitious. Each of the problems can be easily solved if the necessary incentive is provided. If you dare to change your usual life, you will no longer fear for changes, lack of money and support from loved ones. You will feel that your comfort boundaries are becoming wider every day. This means that practically nothing can unsettle you.
How to understand: is it mine or not?
According to Meg Jay, an American psychologist, doubts traditionally plague individuals under the age of 30. For general development, you can check out her work “Important Years,” but don’t worry that your 20s are far behind you.
To decide for yourself whether you need the chosen job, you need to do it, not reason. If you compare yourself to a classmate or neighbor who was much dumber than you but earned more, the problem is not with your work or talents, but with you. You will never find your field of activity, because there will always be people who work less, but get more pleasure and money, and you will remain with low self-esteem if you do not start working on yourself.
Don't look for an occupation or job for life. The burden of responsibility when searching will not allow you to relax and choose, because you are too exaggerating the importance of this choice. Work on what you enjoy doing. Don't count unearned money. Watch videos of TED talks on passion work. The video “Stop Finding Your Dreams” is especially helpful.
Think and work to become an indispensable specialist in this field, and then your work will be paid accordingly.
Enjoy your work. Seriously. This feeling does not come from a specific activity or from a high income. You need to be able to receive a feeling of satisfaction and pleasure from work, and not wait for it to come to you. This will also have to be worked on.
How to choose and find your life's work
Think you're on the right track, but aren't sure? There are traits that distinguish a person who is passionate about his favorite activity:
Psychologist Daria Milai
Make an appointment
- The opportunity to devote the maximum amount of time to your hobby. Such people combine business with pleasure, benefit from every day, and are ready to spend hours on end understanding the desired topic without experiencing fatigue or weariness. Time flies very quickly.
- Full concentration. Nothing can distract you from doing your favorite work - neither sounds nor strangers. A person is maximally immersed in an activity and can do it in any conditions.
- Searching for something new, expanding your skills. Self-improvement is the key to success, professional growth and increased self-esteem. If you are ready to take additional courses on the topic, read literature, learn more information, this means that you have understood how to do what you love.
- Constant emotional upsurge. Every accomplishment brings a charge of positive emotions. It may be fatigue, but it does not mean that the person has “exhausted” - he still has many ideas, plans, plans.
At the same time, it should be a profitable hobby. At first, any undertaking can go into the red - you will need funds to open a business, purchase equipment, inventory, pay for training, but then profit will become one of the indicators of success.
Leaving your comfort zone
As practice shows, people who ask the question “What do I want to do in life?” either have not tried themselves in any field of activity, or have always been involved in only one professional field.
What should be done? Get out of your comfort zone. It's difficult, not everyone can do it. Many would rather continue to sit at home and complain about life than get an internship. Because in their comfort zone they feel psychologically protected. That is, safe.
This is stability to the detriment of self-deception. Standing still is comparable to degradation. If a person does not solve complex problems, then he loses clarity of thinking. The next stage is the abandonment of life goals. The result is a meaningless existence.
And besides, how can you figure out what you want to do if you don’t try?
How to find your favorite job - 8 proven methods
Search is not an easy task. Sometimes it can be long, especially for those who do not have a hobby. Most likely, you have a talent or predisposition for something, but you haven’t looked for it. I suggest several exercises that will help you.
No. 1: Voice your desires
Take a piece of paper, set aside an hour of free time and list 100 points. Each of them should contain one of your “wants” - small or large. From “bake a three-tier cake” to “conquer all of South America on a bicycle.”
Then gradually highlight your most cherished dreams, reduce them to 3 or 5. These desires will show you what exactly inspires you and gives you pleasure. Parse them into their components and note what steps can be taken in this direction, related professions. For example, a love of travel goes well with opening a travel agency.
#2: You are a millionaire
Visualize the situation - you have received a million-dollar inheritance or a lottery win. To understand how to choose your favorite business, answer three questions:
- What will you do, what purchases will you make, what will be your primary activity?
- What will you give up? From boring work or worries around the house?
- What will you not give up even if you get rich? For example, never give up cooking or knitting sweaters for your household.
I suggest writing down the answers. Often the first and last have several similar points. Perhaps they will help you find the right path.
#3: Analyze your queries
Most often, we share secret desires with our personal computer. We look at websites on a specific topic. For example, if 50-60 percent of open pages are about fashion and clothing, then you have a talent for modeling outfits, accessories, and shoes.
Also view contextual advertising topics. Typically, search engines select online banners that match your regular requests.
#4: Look to yourself, not others
Often, when asking a question to loved ones, we expect a certain answer in advance and get upset when we receive the opposite. The very formulation of the phrase prompts the first reaction, which arises not after analysis or reasoning, but at the level of emotions.
I suggest keeping a diary and writing down questions and then conclusions. For example:
- Do I love my job?
- Why is it so important for me to do what I love?
- What do I do best?
#5: Try something new
Not all activities are on the surface. Sometimes they need to be sorted out. Start attending courses and master classes that you have long wanted, but never got around to. During your visit, “try on” new responsibilities to the extent you like them. If the idea is uninteresting, without regret, part with it. The most cherished desires that you could not refuse will remain.
No. 6: Children's role-playing games and hobbies
Remember or ask your parents what your favorite activities and toys were in your childhood - drawing and coloring, kitchen utensils, or helping your mother make cookies. Often our dreams arise during the period of development and personality formation.
No. 7: How to find a profitable activity for yourself: evaluate your life
Close all gadgets, turn off the TV, be alone with yourself and your own memories. Write down your achievements, actions, pleasant moments and events on a piece of paper. What you are proud of, what brought you positive emotions. And then assign points to each fact - from 1 to 10. This will give you the opportunity to understand what you love most.
Example: Did you enjoy preparing for your own wedding? Could you make other families happy by organizing celebrations?
#8: Break your skills and abilities into three columns
Make a table and enter true information in each column. Then analyze the sub-points, if they are repeated in all three, great. But sometimes you can find related activities, such as “talking to people” and “writing articles,” that will make an excellent journalist. Below we present an approximate table of how to find an interesting activity for yourself.
Questions to help in your search
| What am I doing great? | What do I like to do? | Skills from the second column. |
| I'm cooking. | Learn something new. | Use the acquired knowledge. |
| I delegate powers - I give instructions. | To communicate with people. | Win the favor of your interlocutors. |
| I save, I calculate any budget. | Prepare | Prepare. |
Ask a question
A simple analysis allows you to understand that your area of interest is cooking. Plus, there are good management data, so you can safely think about opening a cafe or restaurant.
Where to look for motivation?
If after a long search you feel only melancholy and fatigue, you haven’t searched well or you don’t need a new activity at all. Sometimes a person needs discussions about finding himself in this life to attract attention or to explain to others his inaction: they say, well, I have talent, it’s just that no one appreciates it, everything now is only through connections.
Motivation and inspiration will come as you work, when you realize that you can achieve your goals and work towards them every day. Start small!
Advice for those who are looking for an interesting business
Answer five “Whys?” A good example.
I want a fur coat:
- Why do I want her? So that those around you will be surprised.
- Why do I need to surprise others? Because they don't notice me.
- Why do I need everyone's attention? I feel insecure.
- Why did the uncertainty arise? I was not fulfilled in life.
- Why did this happen? My job doesn't suit me.
Conclusion - I need to change my activity, and why do I need a fur coat? This shows that we are looking for answers not at the root of the problem, but at the top. My recommendation is to get to the root of the discontent and find ways to correct it.
Maximum development!
Unfortunately, many people not only cannot understand what to do in life and how to find themselves, they even find it difficult to make the notorious lists. In this case, they have no other choice: they will have to develop.
Nothing leads to a dead end more than a closed space, lack of dynamics in life, the same social circle, and routine.
The best way to avoid this is to travel. As often as possible and over maximum distances. Not to the next city, but to the other side of the world. Each trip provides a guaranteed burst of energy. A person sees how and what people live, what they do, what hobbies they enjoy, etc.
What will this give? Food for thought, emotions and, most importantly, boundless inspiration. And it, as you know, is characterized by the highest productivity, unprecedented concentration of forces and enormous spiritual uplift. In such a state a person is capable of much.
Most people understand what is best to do in life when they are in such euphoria. And they begin to act. Inspiration frees you from unnecessary thoughts and pushes you to take concrete steps. There is no need to be afraid of traveling and look for excuses from doing it - perhaps your next trip will be a turning point in your life.
How to find your interest in life and make your business successful
Any business is based on the following stages:
- The emergence of an idea. This should be a unique selling proposition, that is, a service/product that has its own flavor and difference.
- First try. Before investing money and development, you should test it - advertise, advertise, if there are responses, then it is in demand.
- Make a plan. He must take into account the strategy of behavior with clients, promotion methods, estimates for monthly expenses, profit estimates, and possible force majeure.
- Constantly develop yourself. If you have recouped the initial costs, add new services, open more outlets - do not stop with what you have.
From the author
This book was not born by chance. Working with creative people for many years, I began to notice that their stories are in many ways similar: they get the “correct”, “money” specialty, work conscientiously in their profession, but do not feel happy. And instead of helping such people develop their talents, I often had to explain that what they love can also be a profession and generate income. Only by believing in this did they begin their path to success.
Over time, my clients, partners and acquaintances increasingly began to ask how to sign up for training with me, where to read about my “method”. I didn’t have any courses or books. But it turned out that my experience and confidence in success were needed and in demand.
I started conducting seminars and webinars and tried to convey my knowledge in the simplest possible form, because I know from myself that creative people think in a special way. And it worked - I get a lot of feedback and see new creative brands being born. But I want there to be even more of them, and most importantly, I want to instill confidence that you can do it too. This is how the idea for the book was born. In it you will find a detailed and accessible story with many examples of how to start and grow a creative business. I will also tell my story, because I myself am the best proof that my method works.
Who is this book for?
For those who dream of turning their passion into a successful business, and for those who have already created a creative brand and want to take it to the next level
For those who work during the day for a salary, but love to sing, embroider, or dream of writing a book or making a film.
For those who consider their profession to be creativity, even if you are a seller of fire alarms or auto parts.
Perhaps you recently became a mother and you have time for creativity, or you recently retired and you have a lot of energy to realize the most daring creative ideas. This book will help bring them to life.
Rule four: describe 10 favorite activities
Take a blank piece of paper and write down any activities you enjoy doing. Even if they are banal. Do you like eating ice cream and shopping? Wonderful!
Then create a table with two columns. Write a list of your favorite activities on the left, and answers to the following questions on the right:
- When was the last time I did this?
- How does this usually happen: suddenly or according to plan?
- Is it related to the main activity?
- Is it free or do you have to pay a certain amount for it?
- Are you alone or with someone?
- Is there a health risk?
- What type of activity is revealed - slow or fast?
- Is the activity related to what - the soul, the mind or the physical body?
Carefully study the answers to see if there is a pattern. Undoubtedly, by comparing activities with answers to questions, you will learn a lot about yourself.
Where to begin?
The great Confucius once said: “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” And that’s the whole point.
Famous life coach Barbara Sher wrote a book about how to find your life's work.
The author writes that each of us, even in childhood, was by definition a genius. We are distinguished from Einstein and Mozart only by the conditions of development. These geniuses had a favorable environment for development, but we did not. However, it's never too late to fix it.
I want to find my passion in life - what should I do? Let's look at the rules that will help you get to know yourself better.
Rule five: my perfect day
On a piece of paper, write down what you imagine your ideal day would be like. Live it out on paper in detail. What do you do all day? Who are you with? Where and when does this happen? Imagine that you have no limitations in time, strength, or money. You are absolutely free.
Then answer the following questions:
- Which things from the description of an ideal day are indispensable?
- What would you really like to have, but is not on the “Must Have” list?
- What would you like to have for yourself, but you understand perfectly well that you could do without it?
- If you reconsider your ideal day, what will change about it? List the most necessary elements that must be present.
- What components of a perfect day do you already have?
- Think about what elements are missing?
The main question is what separates your reality and your ideal day. What needs to be done to make your dream day come true? What prevents this? Thoughtful answers to questions will bring you closer to a decision - how to choose your life's work.
Follow the nose
Set yourself a goal, absolutely any goal, and start doing everything that comes to your mind to achieve it. I guarantee your life will change. You may not end up where you originally wanted, but it's likely that you'll end up in a much better place. It's a trip you couldn't have planned in advance because you didn't know these places existed.
Every time you need to make a choice, think: “Will this bring me closer to my dream or further away from it?” Always choose what is closest to what you want. If you're thinking about working on a farm this summer but want to be an urban planner, look for a job in the city. This is called "following your nose," and this approach is wiser than you think - as long as your nose is pointed in the direction of what you want.
You won't become happy just by having fun. I recommend not choosing long holidays as your life goal. Even in retirement, even if you are looking for an opportunity to retire and “smell the roses,” it is worth looking not only for pleasure, but also for activities that have true meaning for you. If something is truly important to you, you need to incorporate it into your life. Without a truly important activity, you will feel empty, even if you are already settled in paradise, rich and famous.
Even those who save the world have some kind of personal goal that they follow, helping the sick or making the planet healthier. They listen to their souls rather than just trying to be good people. It's time to debunk the myth that you have to choose between personal satisfaction and meaningful work.
