Among endless opportunities, we do nothing

Just a few decades ago, access to expert knowledge and education was limited to those who could afford it. But today, thanks to the power of technology, information is democratized and readily available anywhere at any time, to anyone with an internet connection. Technology has transformed the way we live, work, and play. And we are still just scratching the surface of what AI can do.

But despite this abundance of possibilities, you might find yourself stuck in the same routines, feeling unfulfilled and unproductive. Unsure of which path to take next in your personal or professional life. The fear of making the wrong choice might be holding you back, while the unrealistic expectations set by social media are putting additional stress on you.

Everything seems possible if you want and work for it. Watching curated highlights of others’ lives and success stories, you can easily fall into the trap of believing that you need to have everything figured out. But the truth is, it’s okay not to have all the answers right now.

The problem isn’t that we don’t know what we want; the real issue is that we think we should already know.

Looking back in time, most humans never really had that much free time and resources to choose freely what we do. Where you were born determined your whole life. Free time or excessive resources wasn’t something that existed for many. Having a surplus of fat was even considered a sign of wealth.

Meaning was often connected to a profession. Occupations had a real purpose and everything that was crafted was thoroughly used. Every person in a community had their tasks upon which many others relied. Or people cared for their families, which was anything but easy. There was no place or time to think about what was your purpose. You got it set by the community. Some liked it, others just did it and of course some went in different directions.

Those times are over. Now it’s up to individuals to decide what they want to do. One such example is of a son to an Italian notary who didn’t follow in his father’s footsteps. He was deeply fascinated by the world around, which he used to study on his own everything that he could. Although there are only a few art pieces from him, Leonardo DaVinci is considered as one of the greatest artists of all time. And while some of his works like the Mona Lisa are extremely famous, he didn’t stay in a single field and sketched ideas for helicopters, submarines and many more. He wasn’t afraid to follow his creativity wherever it took him.

The notion of people having life completely figured out is a romanticized ideal that often exists in the imagination rather than reality. In real life, individuals face uncertainties, challenges, and unexpected turns that shape their journey. The image of unwavering certainty can be misleading, as everyone grapples with personal and professional unpredictabilities.

Life is a dynamic and evolving process and the idea that someone has it all figured out oversimplifies the intricate nature of human experiences. Embracing the reality that growth and discovery are continuous aspects of life allows for a more authentic and compassionate understanding of ourselves and others on this unpredictable and fascinating journey.

Asking what’s the best thing to do is like asking what’s the best chess move. There is no universal answer to this question

Chess is a game of 32 pieces on 64 squares where every move depends on the position of all other pieces, your opponent, your preparation and more. While algorithms can give you a list of best moves, those moves won’t win the game, but rather just get you ahead where you’ll face new challenges. Without a move the game can’t continue, but the time does and at some point it will be over. You could either play more moves, finish more games and gather experience to get better or stay where you are and avoid the pain of losing some games along the way. This paragraph wasn’t really about chess.

Instead of waiting for a clear sign or perfect opportunity, embracing the unknown and prioritizing experiences over perfection is the best thing to do. The power of trying new things out lies in the fact that there’s no other way to truly experience them. By taking action, even if it feels uncertain or uncomfortable at first, we allow ourselves to grow and learn from our mistakes.

See what catches your interest and what doesn’t. You might be good at some of them and not so at the rest. What you want to and actually do is uniquely yours to decide. It’s important to do it because you find it interesting and amusing and not because others have told you so. It’s essential to remember that personal growth and achievement is a unique journey for each individual.

As you gather knowledge and experiences you will change. Sometimes your interests will also shift. In those moments you are free to change your direction or embark on a completely new path. The reason we have the freedom to choose is to not stay in an unfulfilling place, but go after what you want.

It also helps to think about our current situation as not that everything that is needed was invented and your work is not needed, but rather as having the privilege to choose your own path and solve the problems you want to solve. Every generation has its problems to address. And they can only be solved if people that deeply care about them get together and work on it.

The times we live in are unprecedented in the amount of opportunities we have and the freedom to make this choice by ourselves. Instead of glorifying the good moments of the past we should learn from them. Old people carry deep wisdom that young ones often don’t fully grasp. I never really understood when my grandma was saying that “it’s better to pointlessly work, than pointlessly relax”. For her it was about creating enough produce for the family. For me it’s a reminder that I have the privilege to freely create what I find want, and with my work move humanity forwards. There are always meaningful things to work on and today it’s up to every one of you to decide what your purpose is.