Ever since I was a kid, everyone used to ask me what I would like to do when I grew up. Back then, the answer came easy out of my mouth: I want to be an actress. In high school, everyone used to tell me that I should be a lawyer because I was very good at giving speeches or maybe a doctor because I had the brains. I got so confused and disoriented that not only did I forget about my dream, but I also forgot who I was and what I like.

I am sure there a lot of us out there who have the same problem. “I know that if I want to be successful I must have a goal which I will try to achieve.

But how can I find which my goal is?”

The path to discover who you are and what you would like to do in order to live your best life has an easy part and a difficult one. The first (easy) part is to figure out what you do not like. What is that you do not want to do no matter what? The second (difficult) part is to find your passion. What fascinates you? Find out what you would like to do the most and make this activity the center of your life. Finding out what your passion is, is the same as discovering your true nature.

There are some people who can help you with that. A very good solution is to visit a personal advisor. A personal advisor will not give you advice about something you are going through, but they will help you discover your real self.

“Can’t my friends do the same?” Taking with your friends about the questions of “who am I?” or “what should I do with my life?” is always relieving, but their advice might be a dubious help. It’s not that they don’t care about your problem, but your friends may not want you to change; they might like you as you are, even though you might not like yourself. Plus, your friends may not understand your problem, so they might unwittingly burn you. For example, if as you tell them that you want to be a war correspondent, they start freaking you out about the occupational hazards, and you won’t do it in the end.

However, the best source to discover your true nature is yourself. Look around you. Which one of your hobbies you like the most? Why? Find all the possible ways in which this hobby could bring you money. In other words, can you do this for a living?

Try also to retrieve your character. Spend more time with yourself and your thoughts and don’t get disappointed. For example, if you always thought that you were meant to be a lawyer because you are good at understanding people’s motivations, but your career didn’t work out, think again. You weren’t wrong about your skills but your employment choice might be wrong. Maybe you’d do better as an analyst.

Finally, don’t forget that the answers for your future can be found in your past. What did you like to do as a kid? My friend was lucky to understand very early that all he wanted was to help wounded animals. I remember him bringing home hurt dogs from the street and taking care of them. Now, he is a very successful veterinarian. What about you? Did you like dancing? Collecting stamps? Or maybe did you draw cartoons?

So, come on! Do not lose any more time! As Abraham Lincoln said:

“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”