Knowing what you want is a mystery that everybody gets to solve at least once a day. It stems from what you ‘want’ for breakfast, what you ‘want’ to wear, where you ‘want’ to be, and every other decision you have to make as a human. And sometimes, these decisions are more complex than others. They require more strategic approaches. Hence, a common solution is creating a personal mission statement. What is a Personal Mission Statement, you might ask? Basically, it’s a personal guide that gives you structure and direction when trying to achieve what you want.
Whatever the decision may be, they are never easy, and it leaves many confused for the longest time. However, there are a couple of ways to specify your personal desires. Here are 5 tips that’ll help you figure out what you truly want.
Contents
1. Think about your happiness
Every plan you make should be in pursuit of your happiness. We all want to be happy. So, to identify what you truly want is to identify what gives you the most joy.
Thinking about what makes you happy is the first step to unveiling what you want. However, remember that happiness comes from both external and internal circumstances. When catering to your external wants (maybe a car, a vacation, going to the beach), also cater to your internal wants (meditation, quality sleep, exercise).
2. Identify your values
Your values help you stay satisfied with your decisions. Knowing what they are will help you feel comfortable when you figure out what you want. Going against your values will only lead to regrets, and we know for sure that it’s out of the list of the things you want.
A clear picture of your values will point you in the right direction.
3. Be futuristic
Creating long-term goals will help in structuring your short-term goals. When thinking of what you want, think about the future, you need to know if they’ll all matter in the next couple of months, or perhaps years. Your futuristic plans will structure the series of events that leads up to that very moment. Thereby, helping you decide what you want up until you achieve your main goal.
4. Look for a mentor
To gain a clearer perspective of what you truly want, take the bold step of partially committing to it. Getting attached to a mentor who teaches you the nature of a course or activity can give you a close-up view of what your pursuit entails.
Want a job? Try job shadowing. Want to help people? Try out volunteering. This way, you get to live through what you think you want till you decide that you truly want it, without feeling stuck.
5. Focus on the flow
Sometimes you engage in some activities, and you don’t realize how time flies. These activities are usually what you truly desire. If you don’t get tired easily while doing them, or you just don’t want to stop? Then that is where your true interests lie, and you should chase them.
Conclusion
You should consistently chase your true desires. Life is worth living when you figure out what you want and go for it. So, do not keep trying, it gets better with time.