Influential Factors in the Perception and Decision of What We Should Do with Our Lives

Introduction:
The purpose of this paper is to take a look at the process behind answering the question: What should I do with my life? For some people this question goes unanswered and for others ignoring the question seems unthinkable.

In childhood we're frequently asked the question: What do you want to be when you grow up? For most of us, there's no pressure at age five to decide out life's fate. But later on down the road, for most of us pressure beings to set in. The question changes from being something to doing something; and whether your fifteen or fifty five, finding out what to do is a big step. It's a step that if skipped might leave you unhappy but paying your bills. But if answered you may encounter the greatest success of all, yes, possibly finding great financial well-being, but more important happiness and self-fulfillment.

People ask themselves this question throughout many stages of their lives. People who wait until later in life sometimes go through what's considered to be a mid-life crisis. More thank likely, finding the answer to this question earlier in life will result in this crisis being avoided.

This paper discusses themes of how to answer the question and actual people's ways of finding the answers. It wasn't always easy and it wasn't always fun. It's an inspection into finding how people decide what to do with their lives. It notes successes and failures, chances taken and chances lost and most importantly the outcome of answering the question.