This problem stems from the simple fact that never before has humanity seen such a spectacular degree of choices available to us. Many moons ago, our ancestors were limited by the resources available to them. They worked, married and died in the village they were born in. Their career options were limited to choosing between milking the cow, and milking the goat. Now you can literally do anything you want. These days, you can even get paid to kick back and do nothing if that’s what you really want. So, what do you want? If you’re having trouble answering that question you may be feeling overwhelmed by the universe of choices open to you and it is no wonder. First of all, you need to prioritize. Figure out what takes center stage in your life, then be realistic about which supporting role your dream job will take. For example, if you decide that spending time with your family is most important, a career as a corporate lawyer will make absolutely no sense: You’ll be living under the flickering midnight glow of the fluorescent office lights, while your wife stifles her loneliness with the gardener. Be honest, how much time are you willing to sacrifice out of your life to work your dream job? If life outside of work really gets you going then your dream job will not be very time consuming. Perhaps you may want to look into starting a business, and working from home.

There is an ocean of things that can give your life meaning; sadly, yet many of us find ourselves on the shallow end of the sea. Life can be unbearably chaotic and seemingly meaningless at times, and for those who know what I’m talking about, understanding why you’re here and what you should do with your life can feel like an impossible undertaking. My suggestion: If you want to understand your destiny you need to first understand yourself. Grab and pencil and some paper and put down everything you feel absolutely certain you know about yourself. Are you artistic? A cynic? Love to cook? Write it all down as creatively as you can, adding sketches to your words as you go. Don’t stop writing until you are unable to think of anything else to add to the list. Next number what you’ve put down in order of priority – what is more, and what is less you on this list. Now comes the really important part: Take your top ten answers and consider why you wrote them. Why do you feel that these define you more than the others? Why are these characteristics more important than the ones at the bottom of the list? Can you prove that they truly define you? Would your closest friends agree? And most importantly, what draws you to this characteristic? After you’ve answered these questions you will find a rough guide to why you were put on this planet. These are the things that will make you happy, and in utilizing them you will soon find yourself stepping out of the shallow end, and into the beautiful depths of a meaningful life.