How to Figure Out What You Want To Do
For the past two years since leaving my 9-5, I've been reflecting and rerouting, pivoting from one thing to another. These are a list of things I've come up with which have helped me rediscover who I am and what I should be doing.
Start with what you don’t like.
Take a piece of paper and draw a line in the middle; the left column for what you like to do, and leave the right column for your dislikes (e.g. hate sitting at a desk for long hours).
This will help to narrow down your options.
Start with your interests.
Once you’ve listed down your likes and dislikes, you can then shift your focus to the things that lights you up. Your interests and the things you like to do will be key indicators of your future roles.
Think back to something you spent a lot of time doing but didn’t make sense back then.
Sometimes the insignificant things turns out to be of most significance. Maybe you used to count pebbles when you were young or you enjoyed tasting different dishes. Maybe it's a foreshadowing your job as a dish taster. (Yes, there is such a thing.)
Go into monk mode.
This will be good in helping you reflect about what you really want, without the input of others. Everyone’s ability to go into monk mode is different, so beware of becoming a recluse.
Don’t hang around people who have surrendered their fate to externalities and the status quo.
These are the kinds of people who’ve accepted defeat. And trust me, you will develop a scarcity mindset if you continue to hang around them often. You have the internet. There are solutions.
Leave money out of the equation.
Try to picture your ideal life — what if money wasn’t an issue? How would your ideal life be?
Think about something you’d like to learn but always told yourself “no” because it’s really hard.
Try it for at least 6-8 months and if you fall out of love with it, at least you tried.
Think of what makes you jealous/envious of others.
Carl Jung said jealousy happens when you know you’re capable of doing what the other person has done.
"Jealousy always means that we see someone else doing what we should have done but for our incapacity or laziness; it is easier to criticize other people."
— Carl Jung, Meetings with Jung, pg. 99
Think of the lifestyle you want.
Envision a life worth living. Not for anyone else but for you.
Look to astrology.
Your birth chart in particular.
The ancients used to look to the stars when making decisions.
In astrology, the 2nd house rules money, income, and possessions; the 6th house rules health and work; while the 10th rules your career and reputation. It’s not sufficient to only look at your Midheaven and the house it is in (which would be either the 9, 10, or 11th house only for Whole Sign System) and its ruling planet. Look at both the planetary placements and ruler of your 2nd, 6th, and 10th house. They’re all interconnected and tell a story. And if you're already deep into astrology, look at your MC Persona Chart.
Stop listening to everyone.
They mean well, but they are not you.
You tell someone about what you intend do do/pursue, and they start giving you ideas and recommendations. You can take them into consideration but you don’t have to take them seriously.
Start with what what you semi-like then the doors will open as you progress forward.
If you’re a Manifesting Generator in Human Design like me, trial and error is how you find your spark. It’s okay to fail, that’s how you learn.
Find your Human Design Type and Profile.
It will provide a good guide on how you should go about in finding your footing in life.
Do you feel like giving up?
Just to riff off Adam Elenbaas of Nightlight Astrology in this video, when something knocks you off your progress, do you feel like giving up or do you want to get back into the grind when the time is right? If you feel like the continued effort is not worth it, then maybe it’s not for you and you should quit.
Pay attention to what people criticise and how they criticise something and then research it on your own.
Chances are, they might all have the same unfounded opinion.
Copy others.
By copying others you learn what your limitations are and then you can later put your own spin and decide if doing this particular thing is worthwhile.
Don’t go to your friends for actual advice.
Your friends are most probably as stuck as you. Their role is to listen and offer you some suggestions, and yours is to continue searching and taking action.
"If it’s not a hell yes, it’s a hell no." - Derek Sivers
This quote in particular really rings true for both Manifesting Generators and Generators in Human Design.