What should we do with our lives? This question echoes throughout our modern world. For the first time in history, the dimension of meaning intertwines with making a living. The search for meaning—which we translate into career choice— has absorbed the spotlight of our well-being: we are animated when we grasp it and apathetic otherwise. This is due to the potent effect meaning has on our self-image and core philosophy. Furthermore, as we grow, the question shifts, like the gears of a watch, necessitating constant revaluation of our previous answer and perception of ourselves, leading us to question: “Who are we, truly?”
I myself was not spared from this burdensome quest and the devastation that comes with a lack of purpose. I stampeded for answers: from loved ones, from books, from experts; only to find myself unfulfilled and lost. Advice like “Do what makes you happy,” or, “Follow your heart,” seemed too simplistic. I found myself paralyzed, stuck at a crossroads, unable to choose between seemingly equally valuable yet contrasting options, unable to construct my identity—leaving me in a state of limbo.
Burnt out from the rummage, I had to change my approach. The problem was not about which career path was better, but a deeper one, of values and identity. I realized I had inverted my identity and my purpose: I thought that once I would have a set career path, I could construct my identity. I assimilated that I first needed to cultivate my values and identity; otherwise, I would cede to external influence, and that is no way toward an authentic, fulfilled life.
This a priori recognition conduce to a more sincere outlook: since meaning derives from my values and identity, whenever the latter alters, so is the former—if not in the external action, then in the intrinsic motivation. At first, adopting this perspective is an arduous task: requiring us to befriend uncertainty and to build trust in our finite condition. Perhaps I got caught up in finding meaning in my work because it is easier than knowing myself. This mind shift embodies philosopher Søren Kierkegaard‘s observation: “Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forwards.”