Google: What should I do with my life? BE astonished.

[GordonJ]

So, I did a deep Google dive, with queries such as:

What should I do with my life?
What the f*ck should I do with my life?
How do I choose my best life?
What would be the best thing for me to do with my life?

And about 20 similar questions. Boy oh boy, what a rabbit hole that was.

Everything from career tests, psychological tests, aptitude tests, to gurus, courses, schools on life, etc., etc., etc. YIKES.

The one I found which most resonated with me was Mark Manson's answer:
https://markmanson.net/life-purpose

However, after visiting dozens of sites, and seeing some solid pieces of advice to downright nonsense, I have come to the conclusion...most advice just

doesn't work for most people. Why?

Because they all start from NOW, and don't bother with your childhood influences, which in many cases are the determining factor or reason why you aren't doing what you want, or are suppose to, or the answer to what you want.

See, I've been asking that question for over 25 years, what do you want? And I know most can't or won't answer it, other than in very vague terms, like to be rich, to have great partner, a Rolex watch...or other such mind tripe.

There are scores of Gurus, Mentors, Coaches, Et al., who say you have a PURPOSE in life, and they will help you find it, it comes with you sort of a predestiny.

I do not subscribe to that thought.

You do have some predetermined genetic dispositions, which may limit your wants, but even more important, those early childhood influences where your deepest thoughts come from.

Gordon

[Dien Rice]

Originally Posted by GordonJ

However, after visiting dozens of sites, and seeing some solid pieces of advice to downright nonsense, I have come to the conclusion...most advice just

doesn't work for most people. Why?

Because they all start from NOW, and don't bother with your childhood influences, which in many cases are the determining factor or reason why you aren't doing what you want, or are suppose to, or the answer to what you want.

See, I've been asking that question for over 25 years, what do you want? And I know most can't or won't answer it, other than in very vague terms, like to be rich, to have great partner, a Rolex watch...or other such mind tripe.

There are scores of Gurus, Mentors, Coaches, Et al., who say you have a PURPOSE in life, and they will help you find it, it comes with you sort of a predestiny.

I do not subscribe to that thought.

You do have some predetermined genetic dispositions, which may limit your wants, but even more important, those early childhood influences where your deepest thoughts come from.

Hi Gordon,

I completely agree with you...

We all have some kind of "mental baggage" - and it's different for everyone.

And not only from childhood... There can be other (possibly traumatic) experiences that can affect us, perhaps things which happened in adulthood...

I have a friend, who had a traumatic car accident. (He was in the passenger seat of a taxi, so it wasn't his fault.)

I only know him from after the accident (and his recovery). However, the friend who introduced me to him candidly told me, he wasn't sure, but the trauma of the car accident may have affected him mentally...

Since I've known him, he's had some great starts (in entrepreneurial activity), but has trouble following through. When it comes to "launching" - he seems to "choke." I know that he's run successful businesses in the past... So is this trouble he seems to have now due to the accident? I don't know...

Anyway, life isn't always easy... There are challenges. It's not always easy to solve these problems!

You can be on top of the world... and it can come crashing down...

(Britney? Lindsay Lohan? Mel Gibson?)

Life isn't always easy!

But... we keep plugging away...

(A spiritual side can help give you resilience...)

Best wishes,

Dien