In life, sometimes, we find ourselves feeling stuck, unfulfilled or dissatisfied. We feel like we are constantly hitting dead ends or passing through crossroads and paths that just seem to lead nowhere.
Regardless of what stage you are at in life at the moment, if you’re unhappy with it, or just flat out not sure as to how to proceed, then it’s time to reevaluate.
When I was in 17, I remember the daunting task of trying to figure out what degree I should go for. The pressure of picking a career at which I would be happy with for the next 10, 20 and even 50 or so years of my life was just killing me!
It was ugly! I am sure you can resonate with that!
Heck, I saw adults well in their fifties who are still struggling to figure it out, how the heck a 17 years old is supposed to not just figure it out but hit it off and from the 1st trial.
The simple answer to this dilemma is, sometimes you just can’t! No, don’t get all upset at me now, there is a twist, so just keep reading.
In life, we are not meant to know everything, and that applies to you too! You simply can’t know for a fact what’s going to make you happy six months from now let alone 50 years from now.
They key is to know what has the potential to make you happy now and then go and pursue it. If in your current position — or school track, was not what you thought it would be, then you need to move on.
When I was 17, I made the logical choice to go to Medical School and to become a doctor. It’s a nice career, with a really prestigious position.
It took me 3 years to realize that I liked the idea of being a doctor, but I didn’t really want to become one! But I was faced with yet another dilemma! I was not sure what the heck am I suppose to do next!
That’s when a close friend and mentor told me “Zane – Life is too short, go for what you want!” I responded “but I really don’t know what I want.” and that’s when these 7 strange questions were born.
Below I’ll share with you 7 questions that you can ask yourself when you feel stuck or just simply not sure what are you suppose to do next.
Disclaimer: these questions are life-changing so treat them respectfully.
Anytime I feel like I am at a standstill, I ask myself these key 7 strange yet thought-provoking questions.
1. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE FLAVOR OF SH*T SANDWICH?
Everything in life sucks, sometimes!
Even the most fun and rewarding careers, jobs, hobbies, etc. have a sucky part, hence this question above was born.
So what kind of activity, job, career, etc. are you willing to do and put up with when the times are not too glamorous!
Make sure that whatever you wind doing, you can put up with its downside.
2. AM I SETTLING?
This is another question to ask yourself whenever feeling stuck.
Are You Settling?
We all sometimes settle for the next best thing instead of the best thing, and what that does is makes us feel unfulfilled and flat just like a can of Pepsi that has been open for 2 days; it has no fizzle!
So make sure you don’t settle and if you did and you feel stuck then time to shake things out!
3. WHAT MAKES YOU FORGET TO EAT, SLEEP OR SHOWER?
We’ve all had that experience where we get so involved in doing something that minutes turned into hours and hours turned into “Holy crap, I totally forgot to have dinner.”
So if you’re feeling stuck, then it’s time to reflect.
Sit down, and take a trip down memory lane and remember something that you used to do that completely gets you in a state of flow.
Remember, whatever it is, don’t just look for activities that keep you up all night, I mean Netflix can get me involved for days not just hours.
So look for activities that have a purpose behind them that enthrall you and keep you up for a good reason.
4. WHAT SKILLS, OR TALENTS I AM UNDERUTILIZING?
We all have skills or talents that are great, but we don’t pay any attention to them.
In my case, people always told me, “Oh Zane, you’re such a great teacher! You make things sounds so simple, and you help us understand them without much effort.”
It took me 10 years to actually realize that I was meant to teach, and then decided to change careers from a Human Resources Function to Training and Development and Coaching.
So what talent or skill you have that you can use to change your life?
5. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN AVOIDING OUT OF FEAR?
We all have certain things that stop us in our tracks.
So, if you’re feeling stuck, then one cause could be fear.
It doesn’t matter what kind of fear it is, just do some self-analysis and aim to find what area in life that you might have allowed fear to get the better part of the bargain.
6. IF YOU WERE TOLD THAT YOU WILL DIE ONE YEAR FROM TODAY, WHAT WOULD YOU DO AND WHAT LEGACY YOU WANNA LEAVE BEHIND?
We live each day so full of stuff that we hardly think much about death.
Not to mention, the subject just freaks most of us out.
But if you’re feeling stuck, then surprisingly, thinking about our own death has many practical advantages.
One of them is that it forces us to focus on what’s actually important in our lives and what’s just busy work.
So think, what kind of a legacy you want people to remember you by?
What are the stories you want people to tell about you when you’re gone?
What would your obituary say?
Do you have an answer to any of these questions?
If not, what would you like it to do today to change that and how can you start working towards that today?
Please know, this is not fantasy work, this is a full-fledged self-improvement work.
So take it seriously and you’ll be surprised at what you’ll uncover.
7. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO SAVE THE WORLD?
I saved the best for last!
If you watched any news lately, I am sure you know that there are many things that can kill you; from terror attacks to anthrax to the latest strain of the flu and these are just a few.
Now, I didn’t want to sound like a negative nelly, but I want to make my point.
I think you get it, do you?
So if you’re feeling unhappy and stuck in life, then look at your values and beliefs and see how you can use them to change the world in your own unique way.
Simply, pick a problem you care about and start solving it. Obviously, you’re not going to fix the world’s problems all by yourself. But you can at least contribute and make a difference and that what matters!
Note: You don’t need to save the entire world!
If you saved or helped only one person on your journey, then you might as well have saved the world, because your simple act of kindness has a ripple effect and you never know what you did might have done to the person you helped – REMEMBER that!
In summary, life is full of trial and error but what matters the most is falling asleep peacefully when we put our heads on the pillow at night.
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