By Kevin Tran
“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
It’s a question we’ve been asked many times. When I was younger, the answer was easy to give; it was usually something big, like becoming a movie producer, but as I grew older, the question felt heavier. It stopped being a fun question to answer and felt like a deadline I needed to meet.
It’s a question we’ve been asked at least once since childhood, but as we grow and mature, so will our responses. The pressure to have it all figured out by age 18 is overwhelming. But not knowing what to do is more common than you think.
I remember sitting in a club meeting, hearing the members confidently talk about becoming doctors, engineers or business majors, and that scared me. Everyone had a career roadmap, and I still didn’t have a start.
From a young age, we’re taught that we must have a clear vision of the future; what jobs we want, what college we want to attend and what we’ll be doing 10 years from now. But in reality, our lives don’t follow a fixed blueprint.
Most adults actually rarely stick to a single career path. According to a summary of labor research, a person will, on average, have about 12 jobs over the course of their life. This shows it’s actually really common to explore and change directions as we grow. Many students switch majors in college, explore something new or discover a passion they never considered before.
The truth is that only a handful of people have it all figured out early on. Forcing yourself to choose a “perfect path” is not realistic and often leads to stress and overcomplication. Feeling that pressure is fine; it’s okay to take your time and try new things. That uncertainty can be one of the greatest advantages.
UNCERTAINTY = OPPORTUNITY
We should stop emphasizing not knowing what to do as a setback, as it can be an open door.
When you’re unsure of a plan, you’re more likely to explore and try new things and you might even discover that you have a hidden passion or talent. That new curiosity can lead to self-discovery and growth.
Even the most successful people didn’t always have it figured out at first. For example, Steve Jobs, the former CEO of Apple Ic, dropped out of college and co-founded Apple. Additionally, Oprah Winfrey, the host of the top-rated, award-winning “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” changed her career path several times before becoming a global icon.
You don’t need to have it all figured out; you just need the motivation to take the next step and explore a variety of things.
FOCUS ON WHO YOU ARE, NOT JUST WHAT YOU WANT TO BE
With the many job titles and college majors, it’s easy to forget that what you do isn’t the same as who you are. Instead of stressing about careers, focus on building the person you want to be
If you want to know more about yourself, you should consider finding new hobbies, classes and experiences that you enjoy. Join a club, sign up for that new elective, volunteer or take on an internship, even if it ends up not being your thing.
Every step, even the “wrong” ones, teaches you more about yourself. The better you know yourself, the easier it’ll be to recognize the opportunities that actually fit you later on.
EMBRACE THE JOURNEY, NOT THE DESTINATION
There’s no need to have your entire future mapped out right now. The pressure to find a “final answer” can make you miss the value of the process itself. Every experience, whether it’s a success or a failure, helps to shape who you will become.
What matters most is that you keep growing and learning. The journey is where you figure things out, and that journey is just as important as wherever you’re headed.
