Do you actually know what you want out of life?

Here’s a question that actually matters if you want to build a life worth living.

Personally, I struggle with compromises because my standards are basically impossible. It’s hard to settle for "good enough."

Do you guys even know what you want out of life?

Sometimes I'll bite on a compromise, but it almost always ends up being a massive mistake. Still, I can't help wondering if you can actually reach your goals without giving something up along the way.

Man, I just want:
my degree/Master's/PhD
and once I’ve put in the work to land a solid career, a nice apartment, a sweet ride... a happy family
and then finally get out there and catch a Rolling Stones concert

I know for a fact that I want to get my degree—whether that’s a Bachelor's, a Master's, or even a PhD—but honestly, I have absolutely no clue which college to pick. 😁

I feel like it would actually be kind of weird if we all knew exactly what we wanted to do with our lives right now. I mean, our interests shift and evolve as we grow, right? Even if some core passions stay the same, everything else changes.
At the end of the day, I just want to be happy, I guess. That's pretty much the goal. 🙂

Oh, yeah. I know the feeling all too well.🙂
The problem is—I just don't have the balls for it.☕

Why? Good question, honestly—but I haven't got a clue.🤷

As long as I have a good man by my side, I truly have everything else I could ever need...

It’s not even hard to answer whether I know what I want out of life—of course I do. The real headache is figuring out if my expectations actually line up with reality.

You're all giving me idealistic answers, which makes it too easy to just vote YES.

But that wasn't my goal when I started this thread.

Say you want a great career and an opportunity pops up, but you have to move to another city or even another state to get it—do you still want that job as badly?

Or maybe you want a solid partner, but the situation requires moving far away again. Would you still be just as committed to that goal?

I’d say I have a general sense of what I want out of life, though nothing is ever set in stone and I’m always open to things shifting along the way...😁
And I don't really stick to any specific timeline either.
For instance, this past year I actually knocked out a few things that I’d been telling myself I’d get around to "someday" for at least five years now.

nimbleotter18 said:You're all giving me idealistic answers, which makes it too easy to just vote YES.

But that wasn't my goal when I started this thread.

Say you want a great career and an opportunity pops up, but you have to move to another city or even another state to get it—do you still want that job as badly?

Or maybe you want a solid partner, but the situation requires moving far away again. Would you still be just as committed to that goal?

I’ve definitely moved around before for work, and honestly, I’d do it all over again for the right opportunity, but I haven't quite packed my bags for a relationship just yet...😬
It used to feel so much more daunting, all those big changes and everything else...

nimbleotter18 said:You're all giving me idealistic answers, which makes it too easy to just vote YES.

But that wasn't my goal when I started this thread.

Say you want a great career and an opportunity pops up, but you have to move to another city or even another state to get it—do you still want that job as badly?

Or maybe you want a solid partner, but the situation requires moving far away again. Would you still be just as committed to that goal?

Look, that’s exactly why I went ahead and dropped this whole thread with my idealistic take on things—because you clearly can't get your point across properly when you actually try.

nimbleotter18 said:You're all giving me idealistic answers, which makes it too easy to just vote YES.

But that wasn't my goal when I started this thread.

Say you want a great career and an opportunity pops up, but you have to move to another city or even another state to get it—do you still want that job as badly?

Or maybe you want a solid partner, but the situation requires moving far away again. Would you still be just as committed to that goal?

So, what was it you were actually hoping for?

nimbleotter18 said:You're all giving me idealistic answers, which makes it too easy to just vote YES.

But that wasn't my goal when I started this thread.

Say you want a great career and an opportunity pops up, but you have to move to another city or even another state to get it—do you still want that job as badly?

Or maybe you want a solid partner, but the situation requires moving far away again. Would you still be just as committed to that goal?

Yeah.

Quincy:

I can't believe we're even having this conversation right now, honestly! Like, I’ve been sitting here thinking about what Laura Jackson92 said earlier, and man, I just have to jump in because I feel like we're missing the forest for the trees here. It's all about the vibe, you know? You can't just look at the numbers or whatever Donna Taylor68 is obsessing over and expect it to make sense without looking at the actual soul of the situation. I'm being totally serious! When Mistyseal11 brought up that point about the local regulations, it really clicked for me, like, wow, that changes everything about how we approach this. We need to stop overcomplicating things and just be real about what's happening on the ground. It's not that deep, but it's also incredibly important, if that makes any sense? I'm just saying, let's keep it simple and stay honest with ourselves. kaže: So, here’s the real question: if you’re out there looking for that perfect life partner, but life throws a curveball and tells you that you’ve gotta pack up everything and move halfway across the country again, would you still be 100% all in on finding "the one"? Like, does the idea of uprooting your whole life make you want to just throw in the towel on dating altogether, or are you still chasing that goal regardless of where you end up landing?

Iceland or New Zealand? Honestly, I don't even care, just get me out of here—I am so ready to go!!!

nimbleotter18 said:Here’s a question that actually matters if you want to build a life worth living.

Personally, I struggle with compromises because my standards are basically impossible. It’s hard to settle for "good enough."

Do you guys even know what you want out of life?

Yes. Quite too well, actually.

nimbleotter18 said:You're all giving me idealistic answers, which makes it too easy to just vote YES.

But that wasn't my goal when I started this thread.

Say you want a great career and an opportunity pops up, but you have to move to another city or even another state to get it—do you still want that job as badly?

Or maybe you want a solid partner, but the situation requires moving far away again. Would you still be just as committed to that goal?

The city? Perhaps, if only for a short stint. The country? Not a chance. It isn’t a matter of principle, really; I simply lack the temperament for moving house, unless it involves traveling for leisure.

nimbleotter18 said:You're all giving me idealistic answers, which makes it too easy to just vote YES.

But that wasn't my goal when I started this thread.

Say you want a great career and an opportunity pops up, but you have to move to another city or even another state to get it—do you still want that job as badly?

Or maybe you want a solid partner, but the situation requires moving far away again. Would you still be just as committed to that goal?

It ultimately depends on the specific partner involved and the circumstances at hand. One must conduct a proper cost-benefit analysis for each scenario.

How does one actually "know what they want out of life"?
Is it a matter of constructing elaborate plans—identifying with some specific archetype, projecting oneself into a hypothetical scenario, or perhaps adhering to a rigid set of values you're desperately trying to manifest? Or maybe it’s just a reaction to a current, undesirable reality that you're clawing your way out of... or perhaps an emotional fixation on a single, specific outcome?
I suppose my question is really about the underlying logic—what criteria do we even use when choosing "Option B" over "Option A"... why do we crave one thing over another, or how does the process of developing a concrete desire even begin?

placidwolf27 said:How does one actually "know what they want out of life"?
Is it a matter of constructing elaborate plans—identifying with some specific archetype, projecting oneself into a hypothetical scenario, or perhaps adhering to a rigid set of values you're desperately trying to manifest? Or maybe it’s just a reaction to a current, undesirable reality that you're clawing your way out of... or perhaps an emotional fixation on a single, specific outcome?
I suppose my question is really about the underlying logic—what criteria do we even use when choosing "Option B" over "Option A"... why do we crave one thing over another, or how does the process of developing a concrete desire even begin?

So, basically, you have no clue what you want?😁

Edward Murphy4 said:So, basically, you have no clue what you want?😁

I had an idea back in 2004 or 2005, if I recall correctly...

placidwolf27 said:I had an idea back in 2004 or 2005, if I recall correctly...

🤣🤣 You’re a pretty interesting guy, honestly.😬

placidwolf27 said:How does one actually "know what they want out of life"?
Is it a matter of constructing elaborate plans—identifying with some specific archetype, projecting oneself into a hypothetical scenario, or perhaps adhering to a rigid set of values you're desperately trying to manifest? Or maybe it’s just a reaction to a current, undesirable reality that you're clawing your way out of... or perhaps an emotional fixation on a single, specific outcome?
I suppose my question is really about the underlying logic—what criteria do we even use when choosing "Option B" over "Option A"... why do we crave one thing over another, or how does the process of developing a concrete desire even begin?

One begins with a rather elementary question: "what would make me happy, or at least slightly more satisfied?"

That’s a bit vague, don't you think?

Beyond that, it doesn't offer much in the way of actual substance...

A greasy burger, a cheap beer, and a cigarette—that isn't exactly what anyone would call a "life goal."
I’m assuming you weren't referring to something catastrophic, like a Boeing jet crashing with the entire D.C. administration and their staff on board...

Heh, I completely forgot about my college degree... clearly, it holds zero value to me anymore...

Make some lists😉
Just jot down a few things you’re eyeing right now, maybe even some bigger dreams you're looking to tackle down the road...

A degree, obviously—and yeah, more friends, too. But let’s not forget the real kicker here. I want to live by the coast. 🙂

I know exactly what I don't want, but I guess I still haven't figured out what I actually do want.🙄