When You Don't Know What You Want

Some of the people in my life have been talking to me recently about not knowing what they want. They're transitioning out of situations they've been in for a long time and don't have a clear idea of what they want to do next. I also hear from kids who are getting ready for graduation, and they feel a lot of pressure to choose a track for their life, and they aren't ready to do that yet. 

One of the few soapboxes I have is the removal of exploration and experimentation from permissible human experiences. There is pressure from within and without to know way ahead of time what we're going to do and how we're going to be before we can have even a reasonable chance to know. And there isn't a way to know without exploring and experimenting.

A lot of my fellow coaches and consultants push clients in the direction of strategy and planning before people even have a clear idea of what they want. And then they think there's something wrong with them when those plans are chaotic or when they fail.

We need to reclaim permission to not know what we want for a while and give ourselves the ability to try stuff. And we need wise people to let us know that it's OK to wander and roam for a while to learn the landscape and see what's possible. Then we can find the things that resonate and pursue them.

If you're in a place of not knowing what's ahead and you're feeling uncertain about your future, that's a perfect time to seek a coach or a mentor. I'm available at https://bit.ly/BestNextStepCall for a free one-hour coaching session in which you can discern your best next step.

#career #creativecareer #uncertainty