Full Careers

How do you finally figure out what you are meant to do in life? I want to start my career and be happy with it

I've been playing basketball all my life and now I am not sure what I want to do after that. I was a good student and I made good grades but I do not know what interests me, like truly interests me. I haven't a clue, not one. I feel stagnant. I am ready to start my life and I don't know which way to go. I wanted to model, I wanted to be a chef, I wanted to coach, I just do not know. I am unsure. I have tried assessment tests but without much further direction. HELP!!! I also have already completed a bachelor's degree although I feel like I do NOT want to go into sales. I have a BBA in Marketing.

Public Comments

1. when I graduated high school, I wasnt sure what I wanted to do. However my mother was a nurse. She said go to nursing school try it, if you don't like it, you can do something else. But you will always have a license to fall back on. Money is good in nursing and you will always have a job. So that is what I did.
2. Pathfinder, I wish I had an easy answer. I am wondering the same thing. I thought I knew and did it for 20 years and now I've changed my mind. As you go through life, you'll keep changing as well. What was right for you at 30 may not be right at 40. So - my biggest piece of advice, and hindsight is a great teacher, and it's coming from a middle aged person, would be - Don't pre-define who you are with some label. Decide on something to do for now. Do whatever it takes to get qualified, and see how you like it. Whatever it is will pay the bills. If you have chosen it from a source of personal interest, you will probably enjoy it. When it gets old - ditch it and do something else. Learn whatever you need to, and go do it. You have a very long time to work with. Keep in mind that some of what you mentioned can easily overlap. You can go to chef school and be a chef, coach intramural or neighborhood or church teams on the weekend or evenings, and model when it's handy. I have a woman friend that models occasionally and is also a full time engineer. She's a great gal and just fits it all into her schedule on top of being a mom. I don't personally know any guys that model but I know several that work full time and coach little league or hockey or basket ball. (I know alot of guys that coach kids teams on the side. it's popular). So - the answer is - do it all, just don't chase the money. It won't make you happy. Don't define yourself by what you do. Define yourself by who you are and do the stuff that fulfills you. Also, you might set yourself up by getting a nice versatile degree first - like business or education. You'll learn alot and it will open alot of doors in your life that would otherwise be closed. - Kevin
3. Someone said: "Even if you do the job of janitor/Sweeper..... do your Job so well....... that the heavens look down upon you and Say .................................there lives the worlds best Janitor and No Body sweeps it clean the way He/She do!" If you play basketball be a professional else choose a vocation where you know you can do it the best and would enjoy it too. After assessment test I think its your lack of confidence in doing something new, a performance anxiety, afraid of failure. So simply set a task and take a Plunge and do well. Once you do it, you can still choose to change your vocation but only after excelling the previous one. Cheers & Smile
4. I was like you too. I went to this site and I took the career test and still was confused. but I had also entered my name and phone and stuff and a few minutes later a college counselor called me and it was really a BIG help to me. I would try it you really have nothing to lose. I am in school as we speak =) dont give up.
5. Find someone to love or a cause to serve. You'll find your meaning in life when it finds you.