What should I do when I get older?

Last updated on October 24, 2020

Question:

Hi,

I’m not sure what I want to be when I’m older. I am not expecting you to tell me the exact job description, but nevertheless, I’m still confused in trying to decide how I’m going to find out what I will do in the future. I am interested in social subjects, such as sociology and human rights, and I have already done plenty of research into those fields and others, but nothing has come up. I’m not really exceptional at doing anything in particular, thus all of this is just causing me a little bit of anxiety, and I feel lost. I have already prayed for guidance and wisdom, but I also know God wants me to make my own decisions as He has given us the capacity to do this. Most decisions I have made or will make will be centered around God, but it’s just still all a bit too perplexing for me in choosing what job I want and what subjects I should study. Should I pray for more guidance and wisdom? I do believe God has already answered my previous prayer by showing me this web site, and I understand you’re far wiser than me and more knowledgeable about God’s will, so I seek your advice.

Answer:

You are right that you need to make your own decision about what you want to do. But one of the nice things is that decision isn’t as urgent as you might think. You can enter college and take general courses for a year or two while you are making up your mind. Often what makes you valuable in the market is not precisely what you study but the unique set of talents you bring to a company.

The real hard part of deciding what you want to do is the fact that there are too many choices. I almost never recommend secular books, but there is a great one that is just for the issue you are dealing with: deciding as a teen what you want to do with your life. It is called: What Color Is Your Parachute? For Teens, 2nd Edition: Discovering Yourself, Defining Your Future. It has all sorts of exercises to do to help you narrow down the possibilities.