This text was originally published on my former blog typeoneminimalist.com. The website has been offline since 2020. This is an archive version.

We all lose track of ourselves from time to time and this state can be difficult to escape. But deep down, purpose still exists. A guide on how to re-evaluate your life and re-discover the focus in life.

So, I felt a bit lost recently. Seriously lost. Like, what on earth is the purpose of my existence lost? For about five months, I didn’t have a single clue how to move on with life – which obviously came with some implications for my mental health and performance. I felt like my motivation had gone on a deep-sea-dive in the Maldives or something.

While me going through weird difficult shit is nothing new, it really hit me that a large part of my social circle was or still is going through a similar experience. It mightn’t be the same for everybody – but undoubtedly, most people experience the “How do I move on?”-part at some point. In my case, this situation is surely closely related to a lot of colleagues and me approaching the end of our bachelor’s degree. But why? Shouldn’t we be “prepared for work” now? Though, aside from that, I think there’s a lot more that defines a person than a degree.

Increasingly, I feel like career prevails over purpose. Yeah, that marketing-position, that freelance task at this magazine or that master’s program in Communication Management might be great and amazing. But what the hell does it bring to the world? This question is the source of all my crises – but it keeps my fire burning in the long run.

Five months into being lost, I finally have a master-plan. And I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t approach getting out of my rut in the most analytical, systematic and functional way possible. So, here you are. How to find your purpose – broken down in simple, approachable steps.

1. Accept that you’re fucked (for now)

Once you actively realize that you lost sense of the track you’re on, some type of crisis is inevitable. It will come, regardless of what you do. For some, it will express itself in the form of slight insecurity while others will be in serious danger of falling into a depression.

In every case, you have to accept that there’s a change to make and that life will be quite fucked up for a while. However, realization is the first step to making a positive difference.

2. Research like there’s no tomorrow

So, for the past months, I’ve been researching every single master’s program and job description in Europe. Weekly, sometimes even daily. I know some curriculums by heart now and it’s not like I wanted that. But research broadens your perspective – and the broader you look for the options available, the more specific your selection will be in the end.

Think about what interests you. Think about what you like in your current studies or job and what you’d like to have more of. Look for options which combine those aspects. But do it broadly. For me, this meant searching for everything I could find on the terms “media” and “technology”. As long as you chose your first degree or job based on some kind of interest, you’ll find some considerable options. Trust me.

Aside from that, get some philosophical input. Read or watch some videos on YouTube. Philosophy can change your entire perspective on life. I wouldn’t be sitting here in the middle of the night, writing this article without it. No worries, I won’t go into detail here – but some of my favourites include Peterson, Frankl, Jung and Žižek.

3. Create a first concept

After digging yourself through the brightest and darkest parts of the internet, it’s time to create a first game-plan. Lay out all the options you’d seriously consider on a big sheet of paper, a whiteboard or something similar. Categorize and order the options. Mark your favourites and assess which of them are possible with your current living situation.

Furthermore, think about which skills you could learn outside of a certain job or degree to get to your end goal. Photography or coding skills, for example, can easily be learned alongside another communication- or tech-oriented job. There are always multiple paths which lead to your end-goal.

4. Talk to (lots of) people

This part is crucial. Let’s say you managed to create your first concept. What now? Which option should you choose? How do you avoid making a huge mistake?

As I see it, there’s only one option to minimize your risks and maximize your return and motivation: Talking to people. Lots of people. Are there any people you stumbled upon during your research whom you admire? E-Mail them. Call them. Go for a coffee with them and talk about life. I did that multiple times and every single person was delighted to be contacted. Honestly, why shouldn’t they be? Furthermore, are there any other interesting people you know? Go for a coffee with them as well. You won’t believe what insights you’ll gain from doing that.

As part of this process, I met up with friends, students, journalists, marketing-managers, coders, start-up founders, psychologists, economists, capitalists, Marxists, the owner of a café and everything in-between. People give you perspectives you could’ve never dreamed of. There’s nothing comparable to those conversations in the slightest way – and the focus you gain from them is incredible.

5. Re-evaluate, re-research, re-think

After talking to as many people as possible, you should have an accurate picture of what’s possible and purposeful and what’s not. At this point, look at your search-results from a few weeks ago and ditch 99 % of it. It’s time to get back to research. Get on Google type in everything that could bring you closer to what you want in the slightest way.

And try to stay objective when doing this. For example, I have a bit of antipathy against certain countries when I look for study programmes because I like a neighbouring country better. Like, what the hell David, are you even serious? Try to avoid those situations by approaching your research as objectively as you can. Ask yourself what this or that option would mean for your life as an entirety.

Rinse and repeat

By the time you accomplish part five, at least one, two or even five months will have passed. It’s the time you need to re-discover yourself. Though, it won’t take as long for everybody. I tend to overdo things a bit.

Nonetheless, after all of this research, you will have a somewhat clear game-plan on how to move on. Maybe you end up with a list of two or three considerable study programmes, a bunch of companies or positions you’d like to apply to or even a business plan for your own company. Now is the time to do it. Go out there and crush it.

And in case you get lost again (which will surely happen at some point), you know what to do.