The following is a guest article by Sean Ogle.
Growing up, or rather being grown up, in our generation is a bit of a scary proposition. Everything is so different than it was in the past. Between globalization, the internet, and the sheer desire so many have to go against the grain, it can be difficult to figure out how you actually fit in.
I mean let’s face it, there is no more traditional.
Maybe you’re the kind of person who wants to graduate college and work at the same company for 30 years until you can get your pension; just like your dad did before you. Good luck buddy. Ain’t gonna happen.
And what about the opposite? These days there are thousands of people in their early to mid-twenties who are blowing up with businesses (or empires) of their own. Take a look at everyone from Mark Zuckerberg to Matt Cheuvront, who are killing it in their respective businesses. There is so much talk and commotion about starting a business, designing your life, and/or following the path less traveled that it can be extremely overwhelming to figure out where you fit in.
I was there. Hell, I’m still there. I started my “30 year career” straight out of school. Know how far I got? 27 months. Just barely over two years before I realized it wasn’t going to work for me. So what did I do? I quit and moved to Thailand. Quarter life crisis much?
Things are even more difficult for those who aren’t of an entrepreneurial mindset. There is so much talk in social media about the virtues of being an entrepreneur. What many people fail to realize is that an extremely small percentage of the population has the desire to be an entrepreneur, and an even smaller percentage are successful in doing so. Due to this, it can be difficult to live a life as an employee when so many people are telling you to do otherwise.
What this has done is create a difficult situation for those who don’t want the risk of running their own business, but also don’t want to be stuck in an unfulfilling corporate job for 30 years. Where do you fit in?
I believe the majority of this stems from the breadth of options that are available to us. 20 years ago it would have been impossible to work remotely at the level we can today. Quitting your job to start a business online wasn’t an option either (unless you were a programming genius). Now we are constantly hearing so many enticing stories of success doing things like this, that even if you have the job you thought you wanted, you may be questioning it.
So what should you do if you are struggling to find your place in life, when on the surface it appears that so many other people have found theirs?
Do Nothing.
Ok, well don’t do nothing, but don’t try to consciously find the answer to that question. As soon as you do, you’ll become overwhelmed and do something crazy like move to Thailand. Unless that is what you are looking for, then by all means go ahead!
The fact of the matter is, we still have a lot of life to live. You don’t have to know everything NOW. As long as you are continuing to make progress with any goals you have set for yourself, you will find “your place.” It’s a matter of when, not if.
I find myself periodically getting caught up in the idea that if you aren’t living you dream life now, something is wrong. Matt even called me out on it in “Breaking Free from Generation NOW.” Bottom line is, you don’t have to know your “place” in life right this minute. Nor do you have to be living the life of your dreams. You just have to be aware that opportunities are going to present themselves, and you should be willing to act. It’s those moments that will help you define where you fit in.
In the meantime don’t be distracted by what everyone else is doing, there are too many other incredible ways to live your life, and that is all that really matters anyway.