Where Do You Want to Go?

By Dorothy J. Hill

Where Do You Want to Go?

What are you doing with your life? What do you want to do with your life? Where do you want to go in life? These are questions that we often face as we progress to an older age and higher level of education. To be honest, being in school somewhat gives you a cushion to fall back on and you don’t have to think too hard on answering these questions. But on the other hand, it’s best that you at least begin to focus on some ideas of what your life goals are and what your self-expectations may be.

It is mostly our parents or guardians that pose questions like these. Sometimes it’s just because they want to know how much longer you’ll be living with them and if you will be able to put forth any major contributions. And other times, they just may be checking on you to see where you head is and make sure that you’re on the right track. There are various reasons as to why certain people want to know certain things, but these are also things that you should be able to ask yourself as well.

As a kid we’re asked early on, most particularly in grade school, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” A lot of us said the usual things, a doctor, lawyer, teacher, etc. But we didn’t have the wherewithal to fully understand what it took to get to those places. Of course we were always told to make sure you get good grades in school and do your best, but no one ever really broke down the necessary steps involved in being successful. Things like this are acquired over time and must be personally developed based upon each individual’s own understanding. It’s definitely different for everyone in the fact that everyone is diverse. Not all of us will have the same experiences. They might be similar but never exactly the same.

When you get to a certain point you begin to realize that you can’t just rely on these cushions to fall back on. You have to take responsibility for yourself and the actions you put forth because in the end, the only person in control of what happens in your life is essentially you. You have the power to make sure that your life turns out the way that you want it to. No one should be forcing you to do anything that you don’t want to do. To make a compromise is one thing, but to completely change and re-vamp yourself for the purposes of someone else’s happiness, is not the way to go.

So you have to really take the time to sit down, reflect and analyze who you are as a person, what you have been able to accomplish thus far in your life and what it is that you would like to accomplish down the line. Ask yourself, “Where do I want to go?” “Where do I want to be 6 months from now, 1 year from now, 2 years, etc.?” They are some very important questions that need to be answered if you anticipate having a fulfilling life. While you’re in the process of completing your undergraduate or even your graduate degree, you have to figure out how you will be able to progress in life. Will it consist of relying on others to get things done for you, or will it consist of you being a diligent and steadfast individual providing yourself with assurance that all will work out for you.

While we all are in different places in life, we do have this commonality in trying to figure out what the answers to these questions are and how we will get to where we need to be. I know for me personally, I didn’t fully come to the realization that I needed to get the ball rolling for myself until some short time ago. I guess it is just something that comes with the territory of being an adult. I have so many goals set for myself, many of which I shared before, and it is going to take a great deal of hard work and dedication to get to the plateau that I see for myself. I have such a broad imagination and it has always been told to me that I can do anything that I set my mind to. But to actually understand it and not wonder about it is an amazing feeling. To really be able to say with unbreakable confidence that there is not a thing in this world that I would not be able to accomplish or do speaks volumes.

If ever you feel as though you are unsure of what to do with your life, there are some wonderful resources available through SXU. They’re specifically here to help you figure out what you want to do with your life. These people can be found within Career Services. They are an excellent source of information and aid when it comes to trying to hash everything out. You may have a lot of plans set for yourself, but may not necessarily know how to go about taking the first step, because you should always want your first step to be your best step. First impressions are one of the biggest factors when it comes to doing just about anything. You have to be confident and secure in achieving what you have set forth for yourself. Nothing is ever easy, unless you were born with a silver spoon, and even those who were born with a silver spoon face their share of adversity in life.

Even if you have yet to figure out exactly what it is that you want to do, as long as you have an idea of it I think you should be alright. It definitely takes time to figure this out, although there are some who just know without any deep thought or consideration, they just know without a shadow of a doubt that this is what and how I want it to be and it will be that way. So, take your time. Weigh out all of your options and try to cover every base possible so that you have as much knowledge as you are able to gain and your level of understanding is sufficient enough to be successful. Don’t be shy about visiting Career Services. They’re here to help, so let them help.

Dorothy J. Hill is a senior from Chicago, IL. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance. Dorothy is a Student Ambassador and currently serves as the Training Coordinator at Saint Xavier.