The principles and values that have shaped my thinking
We often feel lost, mainly because we are worried about the future’s “uncertainty”.
According to our childhood education, success follows a specific formula or path. It is possible to live a stable life if you work hard and climb up step by step. That is the answer you should seek. Once we start working, we will gradually realize that the so-called “standard answer” does not exist because everyone aspires to a different life.
Nowadays, people want to pursue spiritual happiness in addition to material satisfaction. It might be the most ideal state of life to be able to do what you like every day and to be able to feed yourself and earn a good living at the same time.
But sometimes we have a long way to go to achieve the ideal life we want, and obstacles or steep terrain on the way often make it difficult to move forward.
Despite my dissatisfaction with my current life and work, I want to change it, but I hear a variety of voices in my head asking: “My field of choice is unclear. I don’t seem to have any ideas. “Would I be able to start over if I changed jobs?” “What if I kept failing interviews?” “What if the next job is worse than the current one?” “I don’t think I’m good enough, so I shouldn’t be able to change jobs?” “Is this matter worth it if everyone else has done it?”?”
While trying new things has its opportunity cost, and these self-doubts or fears of failure are normal, my experience tells me that when I begin something, I have all kinds of doubts, assumptions, and even fantasies in my head. However, the road in front of you will only get clearer after you try.
Although you might not like it or the direction is wrong after trying it, it is a great learning experience because the sooner you discover what you “like/dislike” and “what you are good at/not good at”, the better. It is possible to try new things, and your next choices will become more precise, and you will eventually find a path you like and are good at, and maybe even create a lot of value.
To avoid endless attempts and no results, it is important to record and feel the process every time you attempt, as well as ask yourself what you have learned.
You can set a period for yourself, such as three days, one week, one month, three months, half a year, etc., as long as it is long enough to allow you to evaluate whether this is an interest or career path you want to pursue. Let yourself take a break when the time is up, and there is no clear result.
I often follow the principle “don’t think too much, just do it” whenever I want to put a new idea into practice. To clarify what it can do for me, I will list out a few major points, such as what kind of learning I want to gain, what long-term goals I want to achieve, or what kind of person I want to become.
As a result, I came to Australia on a working holiday, worked in a coffee shop, taught online courses, wrote and published it, shot and edited travel videos, made podcasts, and ran a personal brand, although not everything was done well or well.
The purpose of doing these things is often “exploration”, so I learned a lot in the process, and I have become much closer to knowing “who I am,” “What kind of story do you want to write for my life?” Gradually, I began to find my unique position, and I no longer felt confused about the future as I did in the past.
It’s always difficult to take the first step in any new endeavor, so I’m used to simplifying things until they are almost effortless. This keeps me motivated to keep going. The concept is somewhat similar to that of MVP (Minimum Viable Product) which is often used in product development. At the start, the goal is to find out what your interests and passions are, not to become an expert on a particular topic.
For example, last year when I uploaded my first podcast, I did not edit it, I did not even write a script, so it was simple and stress-free. It allowed me to walk through the entire podcast-making process quickly and built my confidence. Then, as long as I keep making adjustments at each step of the production, I will gradually be able to produce more efficiently. I became more interested in podcasting. I found that I could keep doing it, and eventually I might become an expert.
It’s common to hear about elders regretting that they didn’t do what they liked when they were young, but followed society's expectations instead. We should make the most of our time and opportunities while we’re young because even if we fail, we can start over. In addition, if failure is seen as a kind of learning, you’ll always win.
If you’re unsure about what you want, or you’re hearing a lot of voices, just try it until you find what you love!
