(Die)ry.

7/15/2015

I believe that there is a difference between "What do you want to do with your life?" & "What do you want to do in life?" & even "What do you want to be when you grow up?"

People don't often sit and think about those questions thoroughly.

Well, I do.

"What do you want to do with your life?" You probably read that in a some-what aggravated tone. Maybe you've heard it from a parent, a teacher, or maybe you've seen it get asked to teenagers on family/teen drama shows on the television.

Usually you hear that question being asked after you've made a "bad" decision & are now having to face the consequences. You're probably being ridiculed and now facing an agitated, stern look on the other persons face. They assume you're going to say, "I don't know." or "I want to...." but in all reality you aren't just coming up with something quick to say to get them off your back. You actually either don't know or you haven't thought the question through and are about to start talking about your future career.

What that question really means, even though most people don't even realize it while they're asking, is "What purpose does your life have....What do you want to do with your life?"

For easier understanding, my answer would be; "My life's purpose is to show the world what I have overcome to be the person I am today. I want others to know that things do get better. They will indeed get worse as well. But they'll be so much stronger from it though. I want people to learn from me. Take notes on what works and what doesn't, because sometimes you're gonna need a free pass at understanding things. My life's purpose is to teach lessons that might be hard for people to just pick up. I want people happier. What do I want to do with my life? I want to use it as lesson for those who need inspiration to keep moving forward.

"What do you want to do in life?" Some might think that that means the same as "What do you want to do with your life?" but I can assure you that they're wrong. It means, "What are your plans? Where are you going? What are you going to do with yourself?"

My answer? I want to live. I'm going to get up everyday and continue to put on my big kid pants. Notice how I said big kid instead of adult? That's because you need to have a bit of your youth with you at all times. Be serious when you need to be, but don't lose that kid like aspect of yourself. When you do, you lose all of everything that's pure in yourself. You need that little bit of purity left in you or else "having fun" is all about how much money you're making & all the meaningless sex you're having. I don't want that. I want to go out with a smile on my face and see people. I want to see others smile. I want to ask their stories. I want to learn about people that I'm not normally around all the time. I want eat foods I've never tried. I want to try different types exercises. Breathing, emotional, physical. All kinds. I want to live like I'm never going to cry again. I want to travel and see things. I want to discover myself more. That's what I want to do in life. I want to live.

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" This is the easier one to describe. Its exactly what people ask. The only catch? You never give the answer that people want. You always seem to be disappointing somebody. That's okay though. You're only meant to please yourself firsthand. It's okay to be a little selfish sometimes.

This question is a career question. Another "let down" with this one is that, most times you don't even know that answer yet either. Why should you really? Why should you have it all figured out now?

Tina Fey was working at the YMCA when she was 23 years old before she ever got an acting gig. Oprah got fired from her first television job because she "wasn't TV material" enough for media. When Walt Disney was in college his professor told him that he wasn't creative enough to succeed in his career choice.

So, ya see? There is always hope, but it's wherever you put it. You need to be the first one to put hope into yourself because everybody else is destined to let you down. You can't rely on nobody, firsthand, but your beautiful, independent, smart self. It has to come from you. You have to be the one to initiate it within you.

Those three questions are looked at so poorly. So, think about that the next time you're asked. What are your answers? Not what they want to hear, but what you want them to hear. Not everyone is going to like your answers or half the time even care about them. Some people ask from politeness, sheer boredom, or to make the time pass.

You have to be the one to decide if the person who asked you these questions are really wanting to know and hear what you're all about or if they're what you've only just read.

Good luck figuring that out. I usually just keep my answers to myself. Why? Because a lot of people can't handle what I have to say half the time. They either don't get me and don't want to know or they don't agree with me and I don't feel like fighting them.

In the end it's all about getting down to the real questions and real answers.