Are you still struggling to find out what path you want to follow in your life?
Circling back to my last years of high school, deciding which path I wanted to follow in life was one of the hardest parts of my academic journey.
Choosing a path is one of the first big decisions we make as young adults; it is when we set the foundation for our future.
But laying the steppingstones of our future is harder than it seems, especially given the current world we live in; in a reality where everything has been invented, and there is seemingly a job for everything, how are we supposed to figure out who we want to be in our future?
The truth is, the best way to start understanding which path to follow is to sit back and reflect upon three “zones of self” that will tell a lot about who we are and who we want to become in the future. In no specific order, these zones regard our passions, values, and unique strengths; they are vital to be reflected upon before choosing your future path.
Zone of Passion
Here it is vital to think of what puts you in the flow state of mind. Think about activities that make you lose track of time and bring you joy. These don’t have to be school-related; they can be hobbies like drawing, playing video games, writing, or spending time with friends.
The best part is that to me, for example, exploring my passions worked in a quite non-intuitive manner–I have always loved being creative and working with my brain to, for example, write fiction or create fake countries. The thing is that I have always had fun creating identities within my hobbies such as making flags for a country that doesn’t exist or designing logos for fake soccer teams that represent people and places within those same fictional countries.
Amazingly enough, such a hobby helped me figure out my passion for graphic design and branding, and this line of study and work is extremely related to art, creativity, and identity creation; all things I have learned and used in my own hobbies!
Zone of Value
Values are like a compass that guides our decisions and shapes our future, so it is important to reflect upon them early on. Do you value freedom and the ability to work from anywhere? Do you want to make a significant social or humanitarian impact? Or is it making money and reaching financial independence?
This zone was particularly special to me as it is the major reason why I left the United States to come to France: I value freedom, and I want to work freely and build my own life upon my own work, and not upon what I do for someone else.
This zone can be quite hard to reflect upon, as it needs very detailed attention to what you want your future to be. This zone is not about the “where” or “when” I will become who I want, but rather “how” and “why” I am to follow the path I want to follow!
Zone of Genius
Everyone has unique strengths, often referred to as “zones of genius.” These are the areas where you excel, the skills you have developed over time, and where others recognize you as the go-to person.
My life became easier once I understood where my strength lay; I am good at teaching, and the skills that are needed for teaching were discovered by me throughout life in moments where I did not necessarily intend to find them: in high school when I would coach and tutor friends on hard subjects, or even later on in life when I was the only person in my household capable of teaching my then little toddler sister all of her homework.
People started looking for me when they needed someone to teach them or someone else, and I began to see the pattern; I realized what I was good at and what set me apart, and for that reason I was able to paint my path to become a teacher and a coach with much more ease and certainty!
Key takeaways
All in all, these zones are important for our personal development and for the setting of the path we want to follow in life. Now that each zone has been explored, here are the main takeaways that you need to take home from this:
- Recognizing what you love to do is an important first step in understanding what ignites that passionate side in you.
- Knowing your core values will help you align your choices with what you find most meaningful in life.
- Identifying your natural talents will help you choose a path where you can thrive and stand out.
Choosing your path can be stressful and influenced by things like academic performance or others’ expectations. However, taking the time to ask yourself these important questions will help you choose a path that truly fits who you are.
So, Do not rush—make sure it feels right for you!