The Get-It-Together Guide for Figuring Out What to Do With Your Life

The Get-It-Together Guide for Figuring Out What to Do With Your Life The Zuckerbergs, the Oprahs, the Gateses theyre the usual suspects who pop up in discussions about success. Theyve rightfully earned their statuses as hallowed gods in the pantheon of achievers, and we love to parse their stories,sleeping habits,and breakfast choices for clues about how they did it.But industry giants arent the only ones worthy of analysis. From photographers and video game designers to food scientists and sports journalists, theres a vast body of peoplewhove made careers out of whatexcitesthem. unterstellung individuals share something in common and Roadtrip nationalstaat has spent 15 years interviewing professionals of every kind to find out what that something is.Roadtrip Nationstarted when fresh-out-of-college grads Nathan Gebhard, Brian McAllister, and Mike Marriner hit the road in a beat-up R.V. to talk to people who had forged livelihoodsdoing what they love . mora than a decade later, it has grown into a long-running PBS series, an educational organization, and a movement of people committed to living lives true to their interests.So, whatdid Roadtrip Nationfind? Its not amagical five-step method for success you can read in a listicle. Its not an anchoring life principle. Its not an acronym you can learn at a workshop. And frankly, if you study the lives of the thousands theyve talked to from Supreme Court justices to lobstermen their decisions look starkly different.But thereisa common approach that ties together their journeys a process of self-construction thats allowed them toavoid dreading Mondaysand create satisfying careers centered on their interests, values, and imagination.The Roadtrip Nation cofounders outline this approach from their new book,Roadmap The Get-It-Together Guide for Figuring Out What to Do with Your Life, so you, too, can adopt it.Let Go of Misaligned Ideas About YourselfFrom the moment we enter the world, e xpectations from family, friends, and society are piled onto us. These build up to form boundaries around our dreams. From advertisements that show us what to strive for to our educations that prescribe narrow choices and our moms well-meaning advice that reflects their owndesires more than ours, were constantly showered with other peoples visions of success.These ideas about who we should be and what we should do tend to worm into our brains, overpowering our internal aspirations. Soon, we find ourselves careening down paths that arent our choosing, and decades can fly by before we realize were living someone elses life.So, how do you seize control? Study yourself. Ask questions about where youre headed and why things likeAm I here because of my own choices or others wishes? Am I engaged in my work or living for the weekend? Am I being true to myself?If the answers to these questions are alarming, its time to tune out others dictates and start listening to your own needs.Define Wh at Success Means to You.We live in an era when its common to tirelessly document your every move, crop out the imperfections, and share these cleaned-up momentswith the world for approval. Its no wonder were trapped in the snare of external validation, making decisions based on how theyll appear to others on Facebook.Theres nothing wrong with wanting the cars, vacations, and promotions we can flaunt on social media. The problem is when we measure success by these superficial trappings ignore the work we had to do to acquire them.The people who find authentic happiness look beyond societys one-size-fits-all view of success and define it for themselves. How do you do this? By distancing yourself from the envy-inducing pressure cooker of social media and the hectic motions of the daily grind. Think about what matters to you when all of thatis stripped away.Break your vision of success into categories What does success mean to you financially? With family? At work? Your priority could b e financial stability, spending time with loved ones, or the ability to work for yourself. Identifying these core motivations will help you dismiss paths that are incongruent with your values and find ones that fit.AcceptThat Youll Keep ChangingThings that satisfy at 25 probably wont satisfy at 45. Time marches on, and priorities shift as we move into new life stages. So even if you find that one thing that grips you, its bound to evolve and with the pace of job change, it might not exist in the same form in the future.As these waves of change approach you, you have to move like a surfer. Dont fight it. Ride it and make constant adjustments to stay on your feet. If youre consistently exploring areas that interest you and expanding your skills in lateral directions, you wont just tackle whats thrown your way youll avoid stagnancy when youve outgrown something.Its easier than ever to curate your own set of capacities to stay relevant to the world and yourself. Take an online class, watch a YouTube tutorial, join a Meetup of people with similar interests, or just follow someone on Twitter who inspires you.Ultimately, by shedding pressures,defining what you truly want,and courting change, youll be able to stay on a path thats true to who you are and who youre becoming.A version of this article originally appeared on SUCCESS.com.For 15 years, Roadtrip Nation has been talking with professionals of every kind and asking the questions that no one is asking honest questions about their struggles, successes, and how they solvedout the age-old problem, What should I do with my life?From video game designers to lawyers, sports journalists to STEM professionals and everything in between, Roadtrip Nation has sought out untold stories and shared them. These stories form the basis of itscareer-exploration products including an educational curriculum, personalized online tools, video content, bestselling books, and live events. Together, these tools create a diverse and r elevant collection of resources showing young people the vast scope of careers and possibilities.