How to Figure Out What You Want to Be When You Grow Up
Those of us with ADHD can be pulled in many different directions. We find a lot of things interesting. Some become lifelong obsessions. Others fade away quickly. How can we tell what will stay in our lives and what will fade away? It is not easy, and this can be especially frustrating when it comes to determining what we want to be when we grow up. So, what can be done to figure out what one needs to know in order to pick a career?
What Makes You Feel Fully Alive?
The question that I most like asking other people is: What are you passionate about? This question gets at the heart of what drives a person. You can learn a lot from a person by what makes them feel passionate. So, if you find yourself on the precipice of making a career choice, follow your passions. Follow what makes you feel alive. Follow what brings you peace.
You Do Not Have to Do One Thing Forever
The one thing that I want to make clear here is that we often put too much pressure on our career choice. High school students often feel pressure to know what they want to do for the rest of their lives. This is madness. Their brains are not even fully developed yet. Why are we pressuring them to pick one thing and stick with it. Whenever I talk with someone who does not know what they want to do with their lives, I always try to assure them that they have time to figure it out, no matter what age they are.
If you are about to make a career choice, make a choice, but do not worry if you found the perfect job. You can always shift gears later. I tried out many different things before finding ADHD coaching. I feel like this is where I am meant to be in this stage of life, but I may not stay here forever. I could stay here for the rest of my life, though. Who knows what the future holds?
A Better Question: Who Do You Want to Be?
Because one is allowed to change one’s career at any point, the question to ask oneself is not: “What do I want to be when I grow up?” It is: “Who do I want to be?” Your idea of what you want to do for work will undoubtedly change over the course of your life, but who you are is a different question. And, in my humble opinion, it is a more important question. Who you are will dictate the next step in your life. If you stay true to who you are and who you are becoming, things like jobs will sort themselves out.
If you need help figuring out who you are and who you want to be, I can help. Coaching is a powerful tool, especially when focused on who the client is. Feel free to reach out and schedule a Free Reset Session with me to explore how we can work together.