Thanks Elo. The intention behind the question was more general (how does one decide how to spend all of their time) than specific (career). The goals list in your post seems like a good checklist to work through while performing steps 2a,b that Raemon mentioned.
Both your post as well as Raemon’s reply seem to indicate that using your “true” motives / values might be a good compass to select your path. While this seems intuitive, is there an elaboration/explanation on why do it this way and not some way else? ( A “better” method doesn’t come to mind though).
using your “true” motives / values might be a good compass to select your path.
If you use other motives then you are likely to not be fulfilled.
Example: My friends told me that if I am a quantitative analyst I will make a lot of money.
You may get a few years into study or work as a QA and realise you don’t want to do that at all. You might regret doing something because your friends told you, or start just directing the money to the things you do care about (once you have the money).
As for “all time”, your intuitive system is pretty good at weighing up all the bits of things you care about. Provided you give it time to introspect often enough, it can usually tell you if you are on the right track or neglecting some value. Without it, there is no good reason to choose project A or B, or 80⁄20 or any other ratio. There is no reason to choose an idea that is already at mind compared to one you have not already thought of. At some point an evaluative decision must be made. Otherwise you can do nothing. But that too is a choice.
Thanks Elo. The intention behind the question was more general (how does one decide how to spend all of their time) than specific (career). The goals list in your post seems like a good checklist to work through while performing steps 2a,b that Raemon mentioned. Both your post as well as Raemon’s reply seem to indicate that using your “true” motives / values might be a good compass to select your path. While this seems intuitive, is there an elaboration/explanation on why do it this way and not some way else? ( A “better” method doesn’t come to mind though).
If you use other motives then you are likely to not be fulfilled.
Example: My friends told me that if I am a quantitative analyst I will make a lot of money.
You may get a few years into study or work as a QA and realise you don’t want to do that at all. You might regret doing something because your friends told you, or start just directing the money to the things you do care about (once you have the money).
As for “all time”, your intuitive system is pretty good at weighing up all the bits of things you care about. Provided you give it time to introspect often enough, it can usually tell you if you are on the right track or neglecting some value. Without it, there is no good reason to choose project A or B, or 80⁄20 or any other ratio. There is no reason to choose an idea that is already at mind compared to one you have not already thought of. At some point an evaluative decision must be made. Otherwise you can do nothing. But that too is a choice.
Thanks. This helps.