Finding Direction in Your 20’s

Welcome to Letters of Wonder — a space to explore the truths behind clarity, creation, and what it means to live a truly wonderful life.

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The Hardest Part of Being in Your 20’s

The hardest part about being in your twenties is that you don't really know what direction to take.

Our whole life, we’ve been told what to do.

There's a path laid out for us: go to school, get good grades, pick a major, get a job.

But once we arrive in our twenties, that path starts to fade.

Suddenly, no one is guiding us anymore.

We’re expected to figure it out on our own.

That can be exciting, but it's also overwhelming.

We look around and realize that our current situation (career, degree, day-to-day life) may be the product of what others told us to do.

And now we’re left wondering: What do I actually want?

The Transition: From Following to Choosing

In high school and college, there’s usually a roadmap.

We follow what others are doing.

We mimic friends, family, or what society labels as "success."

Then suddenly, the roadmap disappears.

We’re left to make our own decisions, and for the first time, they really matter (or at least we’re told that?).

We might be in a career we picked for safety or stability.

We might have just graduated and realized the major we pursued doesn't actually excite us (as it was for me).

And we start to ask: Is this all there is?

My Story: Questioning the Path

I felt this deeply in college.

I picked a major because it was supposed to be "safe."

I was told it would pay well.

But I never asked myself: Do I even like this?

Slowly, I began to explore other things.

Not with the intention of making a career out of it, but because I was curious to explore.

One step at a time, it led me to the things that actually lit me up.

Things that made me feel alive and things that gave me direction I didn’t even know I was missing.

So if you’re feeling lost, or numb, or unsure where to begin, here are a few ideas that helped me find clarity in my 20s.

Maybe they’ll help you too :)

Point #1: Try Everything

If you're feeling lost, the best thing you can do is try a lot of things.

Literally everything that sparks curiosity.

And yes this means even if you feel weird doing it and no one else is doing it.

Trust me, I know.

I did the weirdest things (like making videos of myself making basketball trick shot videos in my bathroom).

Even if you have no idea where it might lead: try it anyway.

That video passion? It led me to building a content agency.

And it all started by following one small spark and doing some cringe things along the way.

But the clarity now came after years of trying random things that I was excited by.

You won’t figure it out by thinking about it.

You need to explore. And then watch what stirs your soul.

And I know, it’s not easy to find those things.

Especially when haven’t found your thing.

But here’s what I would say: just follow what excites you.

It doesn’t matter if its building a business or watching and analyzing movies.

And if you don’t have anything at all, it can be as simple as being around those you love.

All that matters is you have things in your life that give you more life.

And that brings me to my next point.

Point #2: Your Career Doesn’t Have to Be Your Passion

It’s okay for your work and your passion to be two different things.

You don’t have to force them to be the same.

And here’s another beautiful thing I learned.

No matter what your job is, there’s always a way to find purpose in it.

Whether it’s in the people you impact, the growth it demands from you, or the discipline it builds over time.

Purpose doesn’t always arrive at the beginning.

Sometimes it’s something you grow into.

Even the smallest task can feel purposeful when you choose to show up with intention.

And that leads me to this (much inspired by Robin Sharma):

So no, your career doesn’t have to be your entire identity.

But what may not make you feel alive is when nothing in your life lights you up.

That’s when the days start to feel gray.

When you're working a job you don’t like, then numbing yourself with dopamine the rest of the time.

The goal isn’t to escape work.

The goal is to have something that makes you feel alive, and still be able to find some meaning through your work, no matter what it is.

So go try everything, and see what excites you.

And it’s okay if what lights you up the most is not related to your career.

Point #3: Get Clear on What You Actually Want

One of the biggest traps I fell into was doing things just to impress others.

Not because they asked me to, but because I was quietly chasing their approval.

But here’s the thing: true direction comes from doing what you want.

And sometimes when people would say “just do what you want,” I would hear it as a slight rebellion, like “yeah that’s right, imma do what I want, I’m not listening to anybody else” (hopefully you understand the way I’m saying it here).

But that’s not what I mean.

I’m talking about doing what feels deeply aligned with you.

Something that brings peace.

Something that feels true. Not because it’s loud or bold, but because it’s yours.

Not “I’m choosing me” with a chip on your shoulder, but “ah… this is me” with quiet clarity.

For me, here’s one thing that feels like me:

Being fully present with the people I love, while building, writing, and creating the kind of work that feels aligned with who I really am. Work that feels meaningful. Moments that feel real. And a life that feels like mine.

And maybe that’s not the same as what makes you feel alive.

And that’s okay.

And I know, it’s hard to distinguish between what truly matters vs what you are chasing for others.

And the truth is, no one has those answers but you.

But here’s a practice that has given me a lot of direction for the way I want to live my life: Imagine today is the last day of your life.

Like really.

Take a moment and close your eyes.

Last day on earth.

Now ask yourself:

How would you spend it?
Who would you talk to?
What would you let go of?
What would suddenly feel important?

And use that to redirect.

But here’s the thing:

It’s impractical to live each and every day like it’s your last.

You may not be able to pay your bills or fulfill your responsibilities that way.

So that’s where you learn to blend the two.

Hold urgency in your heart, but structure in your hands.

Make space for what matters, even while building what sustains you.

Live with intention and not pressure.

Because the point isn’t to do it all.

It’s to not forget what truly matters while you do any of it.

Final Thought: This Is the Time

Our twenties are where our future selves are born.

Not by figuring every single thing out. Because life isn’t some math equation to solve.

It’s by experimenting, refining, and listening to ourselves.

No one is coming to give us a map.

But our inner compass truly does have all the answers.

So remember this: You just need to begin.