5 Ways to Gain Clarity When You Don’t Know What to Do
Clarity is important to create a fulfilling life. Without it, we have nothing to focus on and we attract chaos in life, leading to mediocrity and dissatisfaction.
If you don’t know what to do in life and feel stuck, confused, lost, or uncertain, know that it’s not the end. It’s in fact the beginning of something good that’s about to happen.
In times of doubt, some of us identify with our circumstances and become passive, complacent, and paralyzed by fear. The big questions like “What should I do next?” “Why am I here” “How do I find my passion?” haunt us.
In such testing times, what we really need is a change in attitude. When we stop feeling like a victim and take charge of the situation, life responds by turning around and rewards us with opportunities.
Here are 5 ways to gain clarity when you don’t know what to do in life.
1. Take Responsibility
“Your life will be no better than the plans you make and the action you take. You are the architect and builder of your own life, fortune, and destiny.” ~Alfred A. Montapert
Steve Pavlina, a prominent personal growth guru, advises that you shouldn’t seek clarity from outside. Take full responsibility for your life right now. Everything, good or bad, is your doing. It’s important to take responsibility, because when we are stuck, we tend to blame the outside world for our problems.
The key here is to DECIDE to create clarity and stop saying “I don’t know what to do”. Decide to make it happen!
Decide comes from the Latin word decidere, which means “to cut off from”. When we decide to gain clarity, we cut off any other possibilities from entering our lives.
2. Know What Creates Clarity and What Doesn’t
“Spend time with yourself. It is where everything begins. It is in this serene space of solitude that you will find clarity, peace and direction. .” ― Miya Yamanouchi
It’s a no-brainer that some actions make us feel positive and others drain our energy. Yet when we are stuck, we don’t pay attention to what we’re doing and how it’s affecting our mindset.
Here are the actions that bring clarity:
Brings Clarity
- Winning the morning by getting up on time, eating a healthy breakfast, and exercising or working
- Having a daily routine because structure keeps the mind balanced and calm
- Paying attention to your sleep, diet, and fitness
- Diffusing negativity by deep breathing, exercising, focusing on the good, and appreciating the little things
- Avoiding substances like alcohol or nicotine that distort your emotions and thoughts
- Working toward goals that matter to you
- Keeping an organized environment
- Keeping connected by talking to friends and family
Brings Confusion
- Waking up late and staying in bed watching TV or killing time on the internet
- Running away from stress with behaviors such as watching TV, internet surfing, using drugs or alcohol
- Ignoring your body – not taking a bath/shower every day, eating unhealthy foods, sleeping at abrupt times, not taking the time to relax with walks, meditation, and down time
- Complaining about how you’re unhappy, blaming others
- Taking excessive amounts of caffeine
- Staying distracted with television, web surfing, video games, and similar things
- Staying aloof from family and friends
- Living in a cluttered room
- Spending time with lazy and aimless people
- Spending time with people who have different values and goals
3. Set Goals in Writing and Become Active
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.“ – Albert Einstein
In order to have balance, we must chase goals and work on something worthwhile. Stephen Hawking said that, “Work gives you meaning and purpose and life is empty without it.”
Think about it. When we give, we feel good. We validate ourselves by giving because realize that we have enough inside us to be able to give.That’s why we must find a way to be of service.
If you are thinking, “I don’t know what to do, so I can’t set goals”, you’re overthinking. Don’t find the perfect goal. Give yourself one minute to write down your goals and work whatever comes to mind. ANY goal is better than indecisiveness. The trick is to start taking action and figure things out along the way.
Here are some goals that any person in the world can have in times of confusion.
- Workout for 30 minutes every morning.
- Meditate 30 minutes every day.
- Learn a new skill in my field of interest.
- Spend quality time with family every day.
Becoming active is an important part of gaining clarity. You have to take actions – become productive, practice meditation, exercise, seek help. Unfortunately, many people just talk about what they want and how it’s not happening.
As Tony Robbins says in his seminars, “Massive action is the cure-all.”
Bonus Tip: Start with micro-goals and use the momentum to achieve the big goal.
4. Practice Daily Meditation
“When the mind is calm, how quickly, how smoothly, how beautifully you will perceive everything.” – Paramahansa Yogananda
The real cause of confusion is not your circumstances, it’s your mind. It works like a magnet and attracts the things that vibrate at the same frequency.
Meditation is a great way to control your mind and develop focus. When your mind is calm, there is no lack of insight and solutions. As the saying goes, “when the student is ready, the teacher will appear”. So when your mind is ready, it will see the solution.
Deepak Chopra says that the mind is just like the river. On the surface, the flow is fast, waves crash onto stones and fall back in, there is chaos. But as you go down, the flow become slow and stable. At the very bottom, the flow is so still that it hardly looks like the water is moving.
Experience the stillness of your mind. When you reach deep down, with meditation or focus on any other nourishing activity, you’ll find the answer to “I don’t know what to do” and all other questions you have in mind.
5. Seek Help From Mentors
“We all carry the seeds of greatness within us, but we need an image as a point of focus in order that they may sprout.” – Epictetus
You don’t have to do it all alone. There is no successful person in the world who has done it all by himself. So seek help from counselors, coaches, and mentors whenever you feel it’s necessary.
If you don’t know what to do, a person who knows about your particular field or problem area can help you save months or even years of failure and frustration.
Even asking your friend about a potential solution can help. This is the value of feedback. Sometimes when we live in our own bubble and ignore the answers that are trying to reveal themselves. Seek feedback from people around you.
The Takeaway
If you don’t know what to do, don’t wait for clarity to magically enter your life. You are creating your life, consciously or unconsciously, with your thoughts, emotions, and actions. Take full responsibility for creating clarity and take positive action. Remove yourself from any external influences that pull you down and drain your energy.
And finally, become active – work on daily goals, seek mentorship, exercise, meditate – success and fulfillment come to those who make things happen, not who keep contemplating.
Become active and find your clarity!