How to figure out what to do with your life

To find work you love, you need to find work that has qualities well-matched to you. Today, I'll share seven qualities of work that I think everyone should observe in their jobs, and use to guide their careers.
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[@Thomasfrank]

🧐 I did an interview for publication recently where I was asked about my career, so it got me thinking about the qualities that I look for in my work. I hope these insights from my experience are helpful to you! . 🦙 Be one of the first 1000 people to sign up and get a free trial on Skillshare (I have two classes there): skl.sh/thomasfrank10201 . 📱 I just redesigned my personal site! Check it out for in-depth article versions of many of my videos: thomasjfrank.com/ . 🖊 Quote of the week: “All skills attenuate with disuse.” - Tren Griffin

[@jeffcoello8668]

I totally resonate with you, right now I am in Highschool learning about networking and so far I am enjoying it, I will have to see if that's truly the career I want to pursue by doing internships whenever I get the chance and also learning new skills to find the things that I'm passionate about. Great video and tips!

[@saritasb86]

Yes,please make a video on how to speak better English and learn English grammar.

[@mrunmayeebadve9847]

Your channel is amazing 🔥 Very practical tips. Love it. Read the books by your recommendation specially Atomic Habits and it really is life changing book. Thank you very very much😊😊😊🙏🏼

[@BattlefieldSailor]

1. Meme: “we should stop asking children ‘what do you want to do when you grow up,’ and start asking them ‘what problems do you want to solve?’” 2. Jocko Willink: don’t quit your job and go all-in on something/give yourself an ultimatum (unless you are convicted to your core with a vision and purpose-my words) but hustle in your time off, work 2 jobs for 1 paycheck, and see if you’re really interested in that new career path. Quitting your job isn’t as difficult as hustling on the side/after work to prove to yourself that you really want it. Then when you’re ready, you step off into your new career. 3. Your dad, Thomas. That’s what we all want to be when we grow up.

[@ceooflonelinessinc.267]

I am 30 year old, and looking to figure out what to do with my life. I spent my 20s in hospital due to mental illness, but I get better in the last 2 years and I want to find a job. I only have my high school diploma. I hope I will make my path :)

[@RavalKaur]

If you guys want something practical then do this - 1. Write down all your interests. 2. Research and take action on each interest per week. So one interest for each week. 3. Journal your feelings everyday about that interest. 4. Then decide to choose one and fully focus on it!

[@yashvashisht1805]

👍👍

[@iamNotHereB]

So, the same ideas as the video, but in bullet points.

[@JamalAhmadMalik]

One week is not enough. Try a year.

[@sacke1103]

Too bad I’m lazy

[@GetGooder]

great tips Raval! I agree 100%!

[@calnommer]

I am not an active follower of Thomas' content, but every once in a while, when I'm going through a very specific crisis, dude will upload a video relating directly to that crisis. Edit: I just wanted to point out that it's rather cool of Thomas to like my comment even though I was upfront about my passive interest in his work. And nothing but the best of luck to all who are figuring life out!

[@Imnotheregoaway]

Same here

[@subzerox6]

Funny, I actually just thought the same.

[@junovaneynde]

I'm going through the same exact thing rn, it's like he can read our minds!

[@bettermanchannel770]

Right on time

[@snoovian7951]

Hello fellow people going through a career crisis in the comments!

[@SereneAcoustics]

Honestly figuring out what you want to do with life is ever changing what you want at 20 is different than 40... Just keep adapting and enjoy the ride that's the beauty of life 😊👌

[@Imnotheregoaway]

Beautifully said my brother, beautifully said! 🙏🙏🙏

[@SereneAcoustics]

@@Imnotheregoaway thank you 🙏

[@jeffcoello8668]

Facts

[@truenorthaffirmations7049]

🔥🔥🔥

[@Daisy-ml3og]

Thank you for this🙏

[@VictorRegouin]

I really thought I know what I wanted in life. But the older I become how more I’m not sure what I want

[@jasontheman3763]

Me three.

[@SammyJay107]

Same here

[@Elazarko]

For me, the more I try different things/jobs the more I get stressed about making a decision to go full on one thing specific. Ironic I know..

[@Elazarko]

@@boringgaming5110 It's hard to keep on going with different aspects of things. To stick with different things and put a lot of effort into them..

[@omphemetsedifero5260]

co bro. This is the pits

[@KDCN6]

Graduating uni soon and this is the struggle. So many interests and topics that I want to explore, but we are living in an increasingly specialized job world :/

[@mauve9266]

I guess the key is pick something you like as a job (or can at least tolerate 😂) and do other stuff on the side. Yes it’s more of a specialised job world in some ways but it’s also a world where it’s never been easier to get your stuff out there and learn other things if that’s what you want

[@MrGrenade121]

Same. What I'm doing is writing down all the stuff I want to accomplish and setting deadlines for when I want to accomplish them. Also for my interest, I wrote them down too and am pursing one at a time until it no longer interests me or I want to pivot to something else

[@Antweezy]

Same. The college hasn't really shown what jobs are available with this degree. So, I've been doing oddball stuff while completing classes

[@ffeyzula]

Yes, everything is becoming more and more specialized and specific but you can always specialize in an interdisciplinary area, where you do many things or create one 😉

[@ceooflonelinessinc.267]

I am 30 year old, and looking to figure out what to do with my life. I spent my 20s in hospital due to mental illness, but I get better in the last 2 years and I want to find a job. I only have my high school diploma. I hope I will make my path :)

[@that1guycliff]

I'm giving myself about six more years to figure this out. I'll be 59 in December. Bottom line though, I just want to keep working, each day, at being the type of person I want to be.

[@BubbafromSapperton]

Six more years? I'm 60, suppose it's good to be optimistic but quite seriously you may not live that long 😆

[@that1guycliff]

@@BubbafromSapperton if I don’t make it that long then I don’t have to figure it out. 👍

[@annabelleyee6199]

You got this Cliff!!! 💪💪💪

[@livethefuture2492]

try doing something that will have made a positive impact on the world, even after you're gone. you know "leave the world better off than you found it..."

[@AdisCandra]

respect

[@LifeNavigation]

Ikigai is the Japanese idea of the reason for being which is the intersection of: - what you love - what the world needs - what you can be paid for - what you are good at A great guide for figuring out what you want to do

[@queuebit]

7 qualities Thomas Frank looks for in the work he does: 4:53 - q1 - Are you building or maintaining? 5:33 - q2 - Are you using your current skills or are you learning new ones? 5:51 - q3 - How much creative autonomy do you have? 6:37 - q4 - Interaction with others 7:50 - q5 - Level of authority over other people 8:11 - q6 - Do you like being in the spotlight? 9:20 - q7 - Work-life balance

[@thiagoghisi]

queuebit Thank You!!!

[@ReeSalem]

Very helpful, thank you!

[@ondrejmarek9752]

Thx

[@muhammedhosnyessa8002]

Thnk u man

[@JaydevRaol]

👍

[@LloydHandmade]

Internships are so valuable. I was studying engineering and found it wasn't creative enough when I did a 1 year internship, so I discovered that I was more suited to industrial design which I didn't even know existed before.

[@GetGooder]

totally agree!!! then you also know if it is the career for you!

[@triciasada5383]

Yes!!! Nice to see a fellow industrial designer

[@awkwardturtlealien]

But internships are so competitive 😩 even with a first class science degree I still can’t get one, let alone an actual job 😂😂

[@LloydHandmade]

@@awkwardturtlealien 😢 I was very fortunate and lucky to get mine. Hope you're able to get one too

[@timmedcalf4596]

"The struggle of maturity is to recover the seriousness of the child at play". - Friedrich Nietzsche Be a like a child. The child is pure life affirmation. So many people lose this.

[@berserker8884]

Wonderful answer! Robert Greene defines mastery as the ability to freely control your inner child curiosity and intense focus you get when you are very pressured to do something.

[@blessedowoboi]

Mustache man nietzsche

[@lightofall]

Agreed THAT is the answer

[@minas.831]

I think I wanted to be a geologist when I was young and I’ve now been a rock climber for 15 years and coach, weird how life works right?

[@davek1728]

@@minas.831 this is not so weird at all! It indicates you like adventure and probably nature, so you are not far from what you wanted out of geology as a child.

[@arianarice4911]

This just happened to me as well. Ever since freshman year of high school I've wanted to be a software engineer. I am now three years deep into university studying to do just that. I had my first internship at a large tech company last summer. Everyone I worked with was amazing, they made me feel supported and were very willing to help me learn. But I HATED it. Now I'm back in school and I've realized I don't want to do this for the rest of my life. I don't care about learning how databases work, I don't care about learning UX/UI design, none of it. It's so hard to motivate myself to keep going, but at the same time, I don't know what else I'd rather be doing.

[@dinamita2870]

It's so helpful to hear that I'm not alone

[@opheliamaybeloved6627]

same goes for me, it doesnt help especially when everyone says you are in such a good degree and so many people try to get into the industry without degree or w/ another degree that doesnt have anything to do with cs. sometimes i feel like i am the crazy one because i literally dont care about this you know :( but i hope life will unfold beautifully and ill be doing alright. wishing the same for you too sorry if ı messed up, english isnt my native language and im kinda anxious rn lol@@dinamita2870

[@krox477]

Not everyone has money to make these choices

[@arianarice4911]

@@krox477 Absolutely. I mean switching majors usually = adding time to your degree, which = more money you're having to spend. So you end up just proceeding with your degree and either a) getting into a career that you hate, or b) not using your degree. And that seriously sucks. i wish post-secondary education didn't cost so much money

[@Alan-mv7ct]

25 years old and still no idea what I wanna do. But this video helped me understand that all experiences are important and that I need to pay attention to the things that I like during these experiences in order to really find something that is made for me

[@dayshaunraymond7096]

I’m 25 as well & feel exactly the same!

[@justthebest2531]

you Can die tomorrow , just live today

[@desperatewanderer742]

same here!

[@shesoldmychicken7241]

how about now? are you doing what you want?

[@bowtiesncoolnes5715]

I literally just had an emotional meltdown over not knowing what's my future and then this video popped up

[@Milo-Mike]

Do you know your future now😅

[@enmanuelzambrano1133]

Bro me too 😂

[@enmanuelzambrano1133]

​@@Milo-MikeDoesn't work that way, lmao. But he'll get there.

[@Milo-Mike]

@@enmanuelzambrano1133 sure you can plan your Future, but thats the point, you have to have ideas

[@dontcaretochooseone]

44 admiring this 30y old dude for following his passion and helping others as well. I will probably continue doing the same job for the money.

[@rosie_arianna9255]

This world is very boring and that's why I can't figure out what it is I want to do. I could never imagine myself working a 9-5 in an office on a computer everyday. I don't want to be a doctor or a lawyer or a teacher. In fact, there's nothing I want to do. I'll be graduating in a year's time; all my friends know exactly what they'll be doing. They have their thing, I don't have anything. I guess I'm a little bit jealous. I wish I could become something truly exciting, like a demon slayer, or a ninja, a hero, or a pro hunter, but unfortunately our world doesn't have those things. So I guess I'll just continue to roam around this empty universe until I find something truly exciting. And maybe then I'll be happy at last.

[@spiroskatsas6888]

I hope the best. What about becoming an artist? A musician for example. Although these types of "jobs" tend to not make much money, unless you become really famous, of course.

[@renadgalal14]

Dam.. How r u now?

[@ChicaneMedia]

I am really feeling the same. Although I have hobbies I enjoy I end up going along with what my friends want to do; some night I'm thinking in bed really questioning life itself. What is it that I really enjoy doing? There are so many things that are fun but am I just lying to make myself happy? Dreams seem like the perfect solution but like you said our reality can't be like that so we just keep idling in life with no purpose. Jobs are not exciting and the whole thing is to get money to continue living to survive. It's very pessimistic but life just seems like a miserable game for some of us. After tonight we might just forget about all of this and move on. We'll no doubt be back here again, maybe until we've given up and decided what to spend the rest of our lives doing whether we like it or not. I pray that you guys will soon find what your purpose is in life no matter how bad or good you think it is

[@mackenzieparks4416]

How are you now ?

[@Jamesk764]

@@mackenzieparks4416 good hbu?

[@andreussousa8312]

As a career counselor, in a interview we would never point at career oportunities for the person seeking for help, we would help them build that compreension of "What characteristics do you enjoy in work? Or in the experiences you've had before? What are your current interests?" And work the rest of the process trough that. But you were precise on this: go explore, create experiences and be observant of yourself - this is so rich, and so needed! And this is the "spark" that I personally try to help ignite with the people that I work. As always, thanks for the content!

[@Trapper4265]

I'm currently 57 years old. I went back to school at 45, earning my undergraduate and graduate degree. Since the age of 16 I have always worked 2-3 jobs at a time all my life, but I'm still clueless as the day I graduated high school what I want to do before retirement age. Sometime a career choice isn't always clear.

[@verysmartultrahuman939]

I swear I'm so confused right now, I am in adult school and trying to get high enough marks to go for Computer Science but I actually love history a lot. I'm confused there is no one that can give you a blue print to figure out your future.

[@Trapper4265]

@@verysmartultrahuman939 I guess just pursue a path that pays the bills, and use that money to pursue your interests and hobbies to fulfill your life. That's what I'm doing. Who knows? 🤔

[@verysmartultrahuman939]

@@Trapper4265 sounds reasonable to me

[@88Kieys]

I've been watching Thomas' content since he had 30K subs. Keep doing what you do!

[@saloonnee]

Me too :P

[@gaurithakur]

It's not that important from how much time you've been watching..It's more important of how much you learned and applied it into your real life :)

[@frixdy1589]

The question did u changed ur life or u still like when he. Was at 10k?

[@lmgaming3043]

It was here at 20K

[@thefilirivera]

@Vladimir Putin Lol me too, I was actually his 6th subscriber.

[@CaseyBurnsInvesting]

It generally never comes as blaring sign. It’s more often the development of principles and seeing what type of life fits into that gradually. A natural unfolding.

[@yas_she_can2116]

So the fact i was online to watch this as soon as it came out confirms I have no idea what I’m doing w my life

[@danchan9989]

I'm at uni and i just kinda have a general direction to what I can do. feels a bit better than covid where I just branched out a bit. heavily unmotivated rn tho after not studying at all for the last 6 months

[@najrenchelf2751]

yas_she_ can, but you watched it... which I assume means that you are aware of your situation and want to change it! The importance of that cannot be overstated - I believe in you! 🤗

[@jasontheman3763]

Feeling is mutual

[@yas_she_can2116]

@@najrenchelf2751 aw thank you same to you and everyone else

[@danchan9989]

@@appmania2180 same I was just good at chem at a level ( which gets progressively wayy harder) and I feel like I'm biting more than I can chew. I like the idea of just being in r and d and I have no idea how much I'll sacrifice my life for than. I feel like I just need to go for it

[@ElTwOJaY]

I just graduated this summer, and ever since I felt so unprepared, lost and unmotivated

[@snowball1792]

How u doing now ?

[@ElTwOJaY]

@@snowball1792 Better, but I still have things bugging me. Thank you for asking

[@kimxxx58]

Your not alone

[@snowball1792]

@@kimxxx58 you're*

[@alen-commentnazi8774]

Bro add me I'd like to talk

[@Moepowerplant]

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" "A Power Ranger."

[@SamMartinPeakPerformance]

Same here 😂

[@o0Avalon0o]

I've been through multiple careers & I hate that the ones that pay well are the ones where you are helping a company take advantage of people or manipulating them. I don't just want a better life for myself...

[@najrenchelf2751]

Screw my career, I just wanna be happy. Have a great day everyone. 🤗

[@ladysecretz]

I agree with you. do what you need to be happy. You and those of us who are looking for it will get it if we're savvy enough to look, search, learn, build like-wise relationships, and get it done (or atleast when it's difficult, slow and steady with work gets it done).

[@PersonaofWill]

I hope you're happy today

[@najrenchelf2751]

@@PersonaofWill

[@sherinariesim]

The values you gave in 12mins are just amazing. I'm personally at the point where I'm figuring out why I have the career interest I have right now, and the 7 points you brought up really break it down nicely for me. And it's so true that nobody needs to give us permission to get that opportunity for experience. I can't thank you enough Thomas ❤️

[@rebeccaw9656]

Excellent advice👏👏. So I am 46 and have been going through this for the last 3 years😂 (not the being famous you-tuber thing, haha, but deciding what I want to do when I ‘grow up’). Because, I’ve worked for other companies all my life, had babies, had a melt down, and then had to consider: what do I want to do with my life? The hardest thing is, to decide. And it is a process that will change the more you learn. The second hardest thing is to overcome excuses why you can’t do this or do that. ‘We’ are our biggest obstacle. I learnt a lot of ideas via you-tube, went back to university this year, and every new elective or course opens my eyes, the most recent elective class was ‘making video’ and now I’m thinking of more digital communications courses... just go down the rabbit hole, it’s fun! (I am talking public university, online, part time, which is affordable - is working for me, but there’s many different ways to learn - as Thomas Frank suggests)

[@brianraines4082]

I relate very much, “pursue what interests you now, it’s not about the role or company” when I was in high school I had the dream of working at Tesla. After three years of hard pursuit I finally accomplish that: I was a remote technician at Tesla. After a year of doing this. I loved it at first but felt something missing and it was all of the other passions I acquired along the journey. Today, I run two of my own businesses each of them requiring a different list of skill sets but it’s the diversity of what I have to do that bring satisfaction to what I do.

[@happyliberia3110]

this was extremely timely. i’m a high school student who has no idea what to do with my life,, and i was having an existential crisis, and this appears! thank u :))

[@baron7846]

These KZbin recommendations have been weirdly personal lately...

[@hassanb3485]

they know you well ,like all of us

[@ishouldbesleeeping]

Cambridge Analytica👀👀

[@joeljames1616]

they are listening through your mic, your camera

[@ThangNguyen-zg3wx]

The seven qualities you shared are spot on. I recently changed my job. It pays slightly better compared to the old one but I feel much, much better because I have time to myself. I also had the chance to learn and build new things that are currently in use. Thank you for making it clearer for us.

[@TimPReed]

This video was made for me! I was just laid off and have had to ask myself, “What next?” Answering that question has been a challenge. The idea of settling on one thing, when I like to do them all (instructional design, training delivery, marketing/social media, content development, multimedia production (podcast, video, etc). I kept focusing on the fact that I have to make a choice. I have to pick a path. But, as I watched your videos, I found myself saying, “yep, that’s me” to every single one of the qualities/requirements you outlined. It really helped to put my career and the path ahead into perspective. Thanks.

[@karenley7356]

This video needs to be shown in every high school. I live in Australia and my husband is a career adviser and I’ve suggested he show this to all his senior students. Thanks you Thomas this was so inspiring and will help many many people.

[@sayakas_journey]

Omg yes, I felt soo lost in my last year!!

[@RyanYeo]

Do what you enjoy, learn new things, work hard.

[@showtime4818]

What if you don’t really enjoy anything

[@benjamingeorge8241]

@@showtime4818 That's a fair point. Here's some possibilities: 1. You just haven't encountered anything that strikes you as exciting. This could be either the field/area as a whole or it could be that you've only encountered the thing on a shallow level and the deeper juicier stuff is what'll actually excite you. 2. You might have depression or something else that's inhibiting you from enjoying things. Get a professional to check it out if possible.

[@RyanYeo]

@@janaSkadhi Ask for help, talk to other people. Be excited to learn, and always always expose yourself to new things. KZbin and the internet means you can learn anything at your own time and at your own pace. Most importantly, be hopeful and persevere. Just keep moving one by one and you’ll be surprised how much you can achieve.

[@GreyMatterPlatter]

Shut up

[@YazhShah]

Work Smart.

[@LisaFly652]

Thank you for this video, my 22 year old daughter is still drawing a blank to what she wants to do. She does work part time, and try an encourage her to find what she enjoys.

[@kevinbezerra3945]

Duuude, you rock! I'm 22 and I'm goign through that right now. I'm from Brazil and I love your content. I think I might say that I had an idea and if everything works out just fine, will probably become some sort of Brazilian Thomas Frank haha. Thanks for everything you do, bro! You really are amazing. Keep up with the good work! Cheers from Brazil!

[@Lisa_Flowers]

This is actually exactly what I needed. I've been thinking about how a lot of what i want to do is connected to skills and ideas about how I'd prefer working, as opposed to specific jobs and now I have a structured way of actually looking at it! Thank you so much. Also, you definitely shouldn't feel guilty about wanting to be in the spotlight, because then people like me who absolutely don't want to be in the spotlight can do that. Everyone has a role.

[@Dhishan]

Top video. We are all looking for purpose on some level. You are an inspiration for new KZbinrs like myself.

[@absalomdavid3727]

Checked you out Dhishan. Top channel !!

[@aestaetic788]

I'm 22 and I'm so scared I've reached no where and my friends are already graduated and working.. I've jumped out of my previous career and I'm just not getting anywhere

[@karalynnn8492]

i'm 22 taking a break from college because i just couldn't push myself to try in my classes anymore due to the fact that i don't have a passion for any career...it's so discouraging seeing my friends or just people my age doing amazing things and im just..broke and getting living life day by day...adult ADHD is so hard😭

[@aestaetic788]

@@karalynnn8492 yes it is hard😭😭 I'm also having ADHD PI.. Don't be sad Kara we can go on our own pace.. No need for comparison. Much love❤❤

[@PS3CookieMonster]

Reading your guys comment really comforted me. I was planning to attend college but the closer the due dates of everything was, the more hesitant I was. I’m 21 as well, and the fear of enrolling and coming out with no passion scared me off another year. I wish you guys luck!

[@TheCoffeeman0]

You're a good man. I'm 32, been a military firefighter for the last 13 years and I'm feeling a little burned out. Need some motivation to do and to learn some new stuff. Your videos are kinda motivating. Thanks! I wish you a good health. (Sounds better in my mother tongue).

[@RiaEverly]

Thank you for this! I am working in my first job and I often get stuck when thinking if this is the kind of work I want to do long term. I am going to focus on these questions now and pursue work projects that align with what I want, without necessarily trying to define a future career path out of every project

[@CameronSWhitelaw]

I’ve never know what I wanted to, I’m 23 and I’ve been stuck in the same dead end job for 5 years- I need something else but I know after a while I’ll feel the same way. I want to have a lot of money, so I can secure my family but I feel like I don’t have anything going for me. I can’t see myself working for 40+ years, I need some guidance.

[@justicecrying]

Another side is that you should not always try to follow your passion; you should also try to create your passion. Passion can be developed too.

[@Josh-kx4zo]

I'm 20 going through my third year of college trying to earn some form of financial security for myself in the future, and some of these ideas are MINDBLOWING to think about. Thank you so much for sharing these ideas and providing insight

[@DelfinAchaval]

Since i was 3 years old i always want to become a firefighter, today with 24 im proud to say, im a volunter firefighter!! Is the best job in the world!!

[@Onepieceistheworstfuckinganime]

What do firefighters do when there’s no fire to fight?

[@DelfinAchaval]

@@DJgoon12 here in Argentina, the firefighters can work after the shifts in diferent places, all the night clubs of argentina are obligated to hire 1 firefighter for keeping the place safe of fires. So they hire Volunteer firefighters, to work in the nights you are off of your shift.

[@DelfinAchaval]

@@Onepieceistheworstfuckinganime a lottttt of things!

[@DelfinAchaval]

@@DJgoon12 yess, this is because in 2004, in the nightclub "Cromañon" a big fire start inside and the emergency doors were closed by the owners, and 194 persons die. So after that tragedy, every nightclub must have a fireman.

[@williampendergast128]

As a 18 year old senior in high school my future and career path has been on the forefront of my mind and with the way the world is right now it seems hopeless at times. This video was not only insightful but relieving that there is so many opportunities out there and that my life is only just beginning.

[@cakt410]

Hey Thomas, thank you so so much for this. For me this is one of the most (or even THE most) value-adding videos I've watched on youtube. It's been really tough wondering why I didn't have a "dream" that could be easily packaged or compartmentalized compared to those of other people. Thanks to your advice I can rest easy knowing I should just pursue what interests me now. I've been following your channel for quite a long time as well and I just wanted to say I really support the work you do!!!

[@michalm972]

I'm always amazed how my life path and interests are similar to yours. Been a sys-admin, musician, filmmaker etc. Now I try with acting. I quickly get bored after I get some proficiency. Had the same realization some time ago. Just pursue what interests you right now. Peace!

[@yas_she_can2116]

I feel like because I can’t answer this question I procrastinate and waste time to avoid answering it - thanks for the helpful vid!

[@brittanymariee100]

I feel this. I keep saying I’m going to try new things and then I’m like what do I want to try..

[@Phallyle]

Could you do a video on online learning, please? In my uni, they just send you the whole year of work at once and you have to do it all by yourself. There's no video on zoom and no visual support. Online written courses. And I have like 8 subjects like that and I am struggling to organise. Do you think it would be relevant to enough people to do a video about it? Thanks for you hard work. And great content as usual ❤️

[@Thomasfrank]

I made one recently - here's the link if you missed it! kzbin.info/www/bejne/fqS6iquci9-Llbc

[@Phallyle]

@@Thomasfrank Oh I must have missed it, sorry! Thank you very much!

[@nothx1756]

I am having the same exact struggle. You're not alone ma dude!

[@lodnisroub]

I had tried to work it out for years, dozen of years... and then I found out I can actually do anything, if it includes A, B, and C. And I realized I just prefer scientific career, and I am staying on this path. Knowing I can quit anytime and do anything. Sounds simple, but... well, helps a lot.

[@jennypyjamas]

This is just what I needed and a refreshing take... I've just realised that this is me and it's ok. I work in health, but some casual, some contracting, sometimes employment. I parent. I play sport. I research investments and new side hustles and go down the rabbit hole if it interests me. I love to travel. And it's all been ok. Employers pick me for all of this. I definitely not specialised in what my degree is in!!I've been putting pressure on myself to pick one passion... but perhaps diversity of interests ultimately is where we should aim!?

[@YourIdealSelf]

Wow, Thomas created these 7 work characteristics - he could totally do research and publish a 300 pg book on it. But we get it all summed up so well right here 💝

[@triton62674]

2019: I'm going to travel next year 2020: I'm going to travel next decade

[@diTosTube]

This happened to me exactly. I saved all the money I could during the last two years and 2020 would have been my year to travel to new places. 🤡

[@triton62674]

@@diTosTube same for me but I'll risk it 😬

[@brianmarshall3931]

How's that working out with CCP19?

[@notarat8919]

I just dropped out of my freshman year of college, moved to Canada, and have been trying to figure out what I’m going to do with myself after my two week quarantine finishes. I went to your channel specifically to see if I could get some direction, and you had posted this video half an hour ago. The universe works in mysterious ways

[@billybob5553]

Any updates after 3 months?

[@jaelynnpennington8837]

This is so crazy that you posted this video right now because this week for my college class I'm focusing on careers and what we want to do in the future! Thank you, I love all your videos.

[@DrJonTam]

This is great advice when you're younger and have fewer responsibilities. And when you have a partner, children, and a mortgage, you simply don't have the time and resources to do what's recommended in this video. Any career transition at that point needs careful planning and strategizing to execute, and a transition typically takes years to complete.

[@EmanDeMoan]

Thank you! I actually have experienced multiple jobs and reflected on all of them to understand why I liked or didn't like each of them. There were some areas where I didn't understand my feelings towards some jobs, and this video helped clear it up more.

[@nowicantalk]

Great video. In my country it is quite common for teenagers to take a year or two out before going to university (myself included, worked as an au pair for a year). However a lot of the time the advice is just to have fun/travel, while trying to figuring out what you wanna do, and then focusing entirely on your studies before you start your career. Maybe this works for some, but for me it honestly worked better to just try out different jobs during and after university.

[@floobix1]

The thing about travelling rn is no one has any fuckin money

[@Garrus1995]

I’m 26 and currently jobless. I have a college degree but it’s a fairly impractical humanities degree. Did substitute teaching for a year before COVID and I’m debating my next move. Considering going back to school eventually for a more practical degree. I just hate how uncertain life seems. I just hope one day I settle into something comfortable.

[@DaOldSchoolRapLova96]

If you’re unfulfilled with a college degree already, you’ll continue to be unfulfilled. You already pursued a degree you aren’t passionate in. Go back to your childhood & do something you didn’t do. Travel, hit the gym, maybe use the substitute teaching to get into your true passion once you figure it out

[@TheSoundofTanay]

"I'm almost 30 years old" *shows puppet skeletons raving*

[@dlb550]

I’m 39, the skeletons you see are me 👀💀

[@gabrielgabriel5177]

Your mind is making you old. Same time some 60 year men do all kind of sports and more athletic physic than most people in 20s these days

[@mandragonna]

Oh god... I'm almost 30 and I've lost all hope to have some change in my life :( I'm tired of my job but my financial situation doesn't allow me to travel and obviously the pandemic is not making things easier

[@lily2445]

🤣🤣🤣

[@sejalb725]

@@mandragonna It's all about the mindset. You will see that most of your problems are due to mindset

[@stevesloan5935]

Man. *Such* an insightful video. I'm starting to think that (digital shadows aside) you'll be one of the people remembered hundreds of years from now. You need to expand this into one or more courses. This is excellent, _excellent_ and inspiring work!

[@AmanKumarVlogs]

Thomas Is such a great motivation for me on my youtube journey,I am glad I was motivated by this man

[@buzz_is_here]

As someone who's loosely figured out what to do in life already, I find this advice very useful. Highly recommend!

[@watercolor-girl]

Wow. I’m in a mid career rut and this is really SO helpful! Even the footage of the punch clock reminded me of some crappy jobs I had briefly where I hated clocking in and out! 😂 Thanks so much!

[@sikkitty]

Having a career that you love and feel passionate about is one of the biggest gifts you can get in life. I 100% feel you on Quality #4 - I CAN teach & have & after maybe a week I absolutely hated it. But researching and learning about something I'm curious about and then sharing it with other people so that they can learn about it too and maybe spark their curiosity that is an absolutely amazing and awesome thing to be able to spend your life doing.

[@ironically_iconic9848]

“Do what you enjoy” * sleeps for hours, eats pizza and plays videogames *

[@Blast-Forward]

Doesn't it ever get boring? I could also do that for a couple of days but sometime I start do feel dull.

[@zchamp30]

Sleep on twitch, eat on twitch, stream yourself playing video games on twitch, simple

[@Jota16BR]

The truth is we don't really enjoy that, when we do it we're escaping or avoiding something. Sure, there are people that make a living with games (streaming, youtubers, game producers, etc), but they're the "1%". The same way people like watching movies, but only "1%" make a living out of movies (reviewers, producers, actors, etc). The reality of any field is that the vast majority just consumes and a huge amount are just avoiding and procrastinating while doing it, it's like that on YT, on Instagram, whatever, you name it. I'm speaking also from self experience, I'm fighting procrastination everyday and videogames were something that I wasted a lot of time, since I was only consuming. Finding what we really enjoy doing is no easy task, it's almost like the meaning is to find the meaning, or better, to GIVE meaning to our existence and not give up to nihilism.

[@octaviosaldana8351]

@@Jota16BR jeez I feel like I was doing just that this morning

[@Alex-kr7zr]

Well, that's maybe enjoyable in the late teens, but gets boring quickly once you realize there is more to life than to eat garbage and sit in front of a screen all day. For me at least that was the case.

[@Gabiche]

Your content has so much valuable. Man, you're one of my great inspirations!

[@Iakov8606]

I'm 21 and I have no idea what to do with my life. I feel like whatever I do I suck in that

[@siembors1210]

It isn't about being good at it. Passion comes first. If you really like doing something, you WILL get beter at it. Try new hobbies and *keep your head up*.

[@ikay8938]

Same 😭😔

[@CosmicValkyrie]

I'm 29 and i'm in that spot.

[@deepmordor2411]

Thx Thomas, I'm looking to branch out of my current job (almost 5y in it now). This video makes so much sense to me (very relatable). It's scary to plunge in uncertainty but I'll feel alive again. Somewhere along the line I'll find my fire again. Thx again. Greetings from one soul to another.

[@i.rexign]

"Pursue your interests" sounds cliche because that's everyone's ultimate goal. May we all end up in the right situation, have the perfect timing, and find a way to reach that goal.

[@gabygrand]

Excellent and thoughtful video. I really like your reflection on not letting your ego take over while still letting you enjoy the spotlight.

[@SamMartinPeakPerformance]

Same thoughts here

[@DerekBearzi]

I always try to follow my passion rather than following money. It might not always work out, but at least I'm living a life I love.

[@civilizedmonster]

That's better.

[@AnonAnonymousymous]

I’m so thankful to have found this video today. Thank You Tom Frank! You really can’t imagine how much this has been helpful to me!

[@VihanChelliah]

Being a KZbin Creator like Thomas is what I want to do with my life!!

[@Laishramsophiachanu9]

loved your channel. SUBSCRIBED :)

[@VihanChelliah]

@@Laishramsophiachanu9 Wow! Thank you for saying that and for subscribing :)

[@Laishramsophiachanu9]

@@HamzahSalim subbed ! good luck hamzah :)

[@Skorp4]

This is why you have 2 million subscribers, you keep making top quality videos like these! You're an inspiration Thomas.

[@LifeNavigation]

“Never let the fear of striking out, keep you from playing the game” - Babe Ruth

[@iamAJ48]

This video is probably the most helpful video out of all the others I’ve seen thank you so much I know what job I want just as a junior in high school I want be a video game tester because you don’t have to be around a lot of people I love video games and the fact you get to play them early is great, you test to see what things cost bugs and they make a decent amount, and you write down the issues and report it to the game director it’s honestly an exciting job when I researched it, surprised more people don’t want to do this

[@TheNeku123]

Did you read my mind or something. I quit college on my first year to figure out what I really wanted to do, reshaping myself to be a better person, who has flunked twice in High school to boot. I'm barely able to deal with reality and I keep myself distracted when it gets hard. Trying to be better when no one cares is really demoralising.

[@civilizedmonster]

You quit collage. That's great. Wish you a happy life. There is something called ikigai, japanese secret for happy life. It is a combination of passion, profession, vocation, mission. I think you should check it out.

[@beautifulday7528]

I am so sorry. I am sure you will find at least one thing you enjoy. Distraction is so difficult. Try to pick one thing. Stick with it for 2 weeks. Just 2 weeks. Reading, music, movies, mysteries, whatever. Keep on one thing. It will give you traction! You have got this! I have 'failed' at many things, but victory is coming. We all miss the mark sometimes. Get back up, as you have more in you that you realize. You go, friend!

[@ronyra]

i am sure that this the best video for giving advice on what to do with one's life.

[@iKylaAwesome]

This video came in just when I was nearing a panic attack while thinking about my career. 😭 Thank you Thomas!

[@phoebehope6549]

Your "building vs maintaining" point was a massive aha moment for me! Thank you so much x

[@shaddjimenez4524]

0:39 😂 the way you showed how old you are killed me Seriously though, amazing video. The tips you have on what to look for in a particular career are very eye opening.

[@_just_for_fun_4472]

seriously, this videos gave me a new node of thinking about something that i actually couldn't realize till now but now i feel there is something that i should know and now i know!! .

[@erinw8509]

I am 14. I'm trying to change my life because I have the potential to be more than what I am now. I'm three months into the journey. I struggle with anxiety disorders and potential depression because of being gifted (gifted kids are significantly more likely to develop issues such as these) My goals are to bump up my grades (in PE and an extracurricular math course) to get a perfect GPA, learn the skills I've been putting off, design a tiny house on wheels and learn French. The first requires getting fitter, which seems simple, right? Exercise. Not for me. I have low muscle tone and hyperflexible knees which makes exercise miserable. Trying to stand with proper posture is a conscious effort. I've been exercising daily for three months in the mornings when I get up. It's hard. I've slacked off tons of times, but I'm getting there. For the second goal, things arent going as well. For a gifted kid, you'd expect that it would be the easiest, but its not. I keep on procrastinating on other school assignments which then take up my personal time, and by the time I'm done my schoolwork, I'm drained. As for designing a tiny house, its actually gone pretty well. I've figured out how construction works, and I am 3D modelling the framing in SketchUp now. Learning French, this has been the hardest one. I have to take French because I live in Canada and need French to go to university, however I hate the language with a burning passion. I've taken Afrikaans and Mandarin in the past, both of which I have loved learning, but French? I can't stand it. What makes it worse is I dropped out of in-school French classes because we had a bad teacher, and the online classes are much more difficult. I can't even understand the instructions, and my parents expect me to get at least a 95%/ A+ And if anyone reads this, you can do it too. Its a journey, and sometimes they're difficult. As I'm writing this, I'm trying to overcome my anxiety, and I just had a breakdown. I have three tests on Monday and six assignments due, without having started on any because I had a bad week, and its a nightmare. But, I've told myself, one o clock, I get this done I'm just gonna do it. No more procrastinating. Thomas Frank (if you see this) I hope you know how grateful people are for your videos. I'm probably on the younger side of your audience, but I've still benefited so much from them. You're one of my favorite youtubers on the platform. One video idea I'd suggest is how to self-study languages from home, but I'll watch whatever you upload.

[@kelly55]

Good luck with everything, make sure you don't overwork yourself though. When I was 13 I had my first burnout and major depressive episode because I was trying to achieve similar perfectionism. I lost about a year and a half to recovery and my memory has never really been as good as before. Additionally, I'm in my second burnout and depressive episode right now since anxiety and depressive disorders in early life increase the likelihood of future mental health problems. If you ever feel like you might get overwhelmed in the future look for ways to lighten your burden on the short term. Take a gap year to learn French for example, study delay won't matter in the end. Or look for uni's abroad, you're always welcome here in the Netherlands and you won't need anything other than English (and Dutch should be easy if you've studied Afrikaans). Sorry for the lecture, I just hope you don't make the same mistakes I did. P.S. I also sucked at French but taking Latin really helped me with that (until I had the burnout and dropped both, so don't let it come to that lol)

[@erinw8509]

@@kelly55 thanks so much! I went through therapy as a kid for anxiety and PTSD regarding a minor car accident, so I already have management techniques, it just gets so hard sometimes. I'm trying to focus on my own dreams (which unfortunately means letting down my parents, but I've learned that I don't exist to live their dreams) so hopefully it goes well. Good luck to you, I really appreciated this reply! (and i'd love to visit a place like the Netherlands one day. get out of canada for like the second time in my life. ive always wanted to travel somewhere other than south africa)

[@Daisy-ml3og]

@@erinw8509 hi good luck but don’t burn yourself out. Stress is the worst. I would recommend that you start watching the news or films in the language you’re learning. Read texts in that chosen language and write 10 key words or phrases each day. But remember not to burn yourself in the process, it’s not worth it. What are your future career dreams and goals? 😊

[@seanconnelly2832]

When I was 10 I was asked that question and my teacher couldn’t believe my answer I told her. “I want to be a happy person “. And that’s it

[@reiruivah555]

These points apply only when you have supportive parents and enough financial support to help you get a good education on the field that you're interested in. Parents being really conservative and close minded is a huge problem even in this day and age

[@thatrandomguy6753]

well I guess the video doesn't really take into account life, it's about finding what you want to do and what would make you fulfilled. he can't do anything about the fact that you have to work as a cashier right now to pay rent, or will never afford university or have parents that will force you to be a doctor or whatever. he's not saying that you have to do do all this, it's more like, this might be why you're unhappy, let me tell you what it is so you might be able to fix it. some things are always going to be out of your control.

[@reiruivah555]

ThatRandomGuy yeah this is sadly the reality of life 😔

[@hassanb3485]

i kinda fell that , the financial part

[@shsha6592]

Agree

[@JTAerialist]

This resonated with me SO MUCH. thank you. In a teacher trying to transition away from teaching, but I still enjoy aspects of teaching, but being a slave to the school schedule just doesn't meet the lifestyle I want and there is no growth.

[@CameronGibsonIRL]

This is such an interesting concept and it was so interesting to hear your take on it and your story, too. When I was younger I wanted to be an "inventor" and now i'm a performer; too very different lives. Thanks for another amazing video and some inspiration to up my KZbin content game!

[@kajaljaiswal9846]

"To do now what interests me the most"..a very helpful video Thomas ..just keep ur work going

[@slatr9203]

I'm watching this video to escape that question...

[@awes2476]

Feel it

[@nesstalks7469]

Same

[@InkFilledCity]

Same...

[@GetGooder]

lol best comment ever

[@yaboyradish3072]

oof, spot on.

[@karenrich9092]

Hi Thomas, my advice to people is don't expect your plan to be written in stone. I wanted to get my teaching credential 40 years ago, but I didn't get the grade I needed in one of my courses, so I did get my BA, but during my downtime, I met my husband. We were married 32 years before he passed, but in that time, we raised 2 children and I became a professional web designer. To fill my time and learn things, I discovered KZbin. This has taught me a lot of things and caused me to mix my current skills with new ones. I've used this video world for education, religion and entertainment. Thanks to all of you I've just outlined my plans for the next year -- or more.

[@alvinngugi4130]

Pursue what interests you now.

[@paolay.9722]

Graduated college, doing my teaching credential and still don’t think I am doing what I want to do. I feel lost and don’t know what’s for me. Feeling burned out taking so many classes 😭

[@hadie1257]

I'm 13 and I strongly agree with your points. A lot of them I think about a lot. I'm glad to see some people agree with me.

[@ColinSkateFilms]

This is the video I've been needing for the past two years now. Thank you for releasing this.

[@nanashi1705]

The problem is, figuring out what I want to do doesn't give me money to buy food. Paying a subscription on skillshare doesn't help in saving money either :D

[@nanashi1705]

@@--.._ exactly! But it's good that you have this 'hobby and a well paid job' situation. Having a lot of skills is always good. I mean, I have a friends that studies musical theatre, like me, but she is also a pharmacist - in the time of the coronavirus she can actually make money as a pharmacist while I can only wait for the theatres to open again. You can try to persue your hobby as a job, but you will always have your skilles as a nurse when something goes wrong. 😄

[@DerrickKnight]

Finally I feel like someone knows what I’ve been going through and thinks like me lol I thought I was losing it! You saved the day Thomas 🙏

[@A-Wa]

Im so down and found my life meaningless due to lockdown and now this video popped up. So hyped to watch it

[@dalaov5258]

Where the skills you enjoy using (and can develop further) intersect your interests lie heavy clues to the direction you need to go. Don't bother with trying to learn how to do a good job by getting trained for skills that you don't enjoy, your self esteem will get shattered. Looking back for me, I can clearly see that "sales" did not excite me and was a common thread but I kept myself in those jobs as I adopted expectation from those around me as to what I "should" be. What a weight lifted off my shoulder to finally start my journey at the age of 46! Final advice is to keep your expenses low while in the exploration phase. You don't want to get stuck in a life sucking job or business because you drove yourself into a hole. Good luck!