goal setting

How To Decide What To Do For A Living

June 9, 2020 by Eva Keiffenheim

A step-by-step guide to bold decision making.

You are on a career path.

The question is: Is this path also the one you want to be on?

Do you make a living with something worth your time?

Does your work allow you to live the life you want to live?

To live the life you choose to live?

Most people were lured into their current career path. Parents, friends, and employer branding guided their decisions.

But unless you decide what to do for a living, you’re like a ship without a sail. Or as Gary Vaynerchuk puts it:

“The one thing I know for sure, is the outcome of what happens if you don’t decide. If you never make a decision, or deliberate for too long, all the upside or potential opportunity could be lost.”

My life changed once I took ownership of my career path. Since that decision, every minute of my time became precious. I want to be on the path I’m on.

If I can do it, you can do it, too.

Once you know what you want, you can land any job you want.

Here’s how you can boldly decide what to do for a living:

0) Get Into “Peak State”

How you start something determines how you finish it. No person made great decisions while feeling like a douche-bag.

A low-quality state of mind leads to low-quality choices.

But you shouldn’t settle for mediocre choices.

You deserve the best.

That’s why you want to be in a peak state when you think about your next move.

So before you consider making a decision, check whether you’re in a state to thinking this decision through. Put yourself in an environment that supports your clear, open mind. Get into a peak state.

How to apply this advice

If you have a powerful, ritualized morning routine, you’ll be in peak state right afterwards. The time frame after your routine is excellent for altered thinking and decision making.

Another way to peak state is to get your body moving and breathing. More oxygen equals more energy. Hike through a forest, or simply breathe fresh air before you sit down.

1) Determine Your Orbit

Be selective about how you spend your time.

Rather than asking what’s possible, ask which topic is worth dedicating your life to?

You have the skills. You have the knowledge. Your life is precious. But eventually, you will die.

Your lifetime is too precious to remain within the limited boundaries of your existing reality.

To make bold, right decisions, think outside of your current environment.

How to apply this advice

Which topic makes you want to jump out of bed at any time? What issue can’t you stop thinking or talking about?

There’s no wrong answer to it. Don’t even think about what other people think about your answer. There’s no right or wrong answer. Be honest with yourself.

If you can’t find anything, it comes down to two reasons. You’re not in your peak state, or you need more inspiration. Make learning a daily habit. Read books outside of your habitue. Visit meet-ups. Travel.

There’s no valid reason not to have any topic you burn for.

Find out what that topic is for you.

2) Analyze Your Energy Level

“The energy of the mind is the essence of life.”

— Aristotle

Two days, packed schedules.

Have you ever wondered at night, why on some days you feel drained and wasted, while on other evenings you’re still feeling fresh?

Your energy level determines how you experience your days, weeks, years, and ultimately, your life.

Yet, most people don’t have any clue about their energy drainers and givers. They never pay any attention to our energy. Our ignorance doesn’t protect us.

You won’t make smart decisions on what to do for a living unless you’re clear about your energy management.

How to apply this advice

Before you look for “what’s out there,” make sure you know “what’s inside” of you. Regularly ask yourself:

Which activities make you feel good and give you energy?
Which activities destroy your mood and drain your energy?

Once you pay attention, you’ll quickly realize different activities lead to different energy levels.

Feel free to copy this simple table to your journal or in your notepad and fill it for a week. You’ll be clear about energy givers and takers afterward.

After tracking and rating your activities, consolidate what you’ve learned. Here’s my general energy list. Notice that yours might be completely different.

Energy drainers: Repetitive tasks, hour-long computer work, detail-oriented tasks like filling spreadsheets, meetings with >5 people, PowerPoint, reading law texts, spending time with negative people, greasy food, WhatsApp, grocery shopping, driving a car

Energy givers: Teaching, writing, public speaking, networking, strategic planning, helping others, reading philosophy, self-reflection, organizing, music, time with my partner, laughing with friends, singing, meditation, ashtanga yoga, dancing, sunshine, cooking and then eating self-made dishes, driving in trains

When reading job descriptions or making job choices, we often forget what’s behind the fancy title. “Digital Transformation Consultant” might mean nothing more than sitting in front of a computer, building powerpoints, or sales pitches 3/4 of your time. “Customer Relationships” might equal sitting in front of a computer and inserting contact details into a spreadsheet. “Human Resource Specialist” might be another term for being on the phone with requiters and scheduling interviews for potential candidates.

Before deciding on a career path, be clear about your energy drainers and givers.

3) Focus On Growth

“Certainty is the enemy of growth. “
— Mark Manson

When making your decision, focus on personal growth.

By working a job where you can acquire the skills for your future self, the chances are high that you’ll overperform.

Not because you’re smarter than your co-workers. It’s because you have a reason why you chose that career: Growth.

Pick work where you learn what you want to learn.

How to apply this advice

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

Which skills does your future self possess?

Only then think about your current reality and identify the gap from where you stand to where you want to become.

Your future job should, at least to some extent, help you bridging the skill gap.

4) Trust Your Intuition

“The more you trust your intuition, the more empowered you become, the stronger you become & the happier you become.”
— Gisele Bündchen

Intuition is your body’s intelligence at its best. Your brain takes in any given situation, searches its files, matches past experiences, and cues from your self to send you a feeling.

This process happens so quickly that you don’t even register it on a conscious level. That’s why intuition simply points out the way without being in your logical, rational mind.

When was the last time you felt like you just know something?

Intuition exists in all of us. The more we learn about it and listen to it, the more we can use intuition to shape our decisions for the better.

How to apply this advice

Sit down in a quiet environment and ask yourself: What does my gut say on what to do for a living?

Then, listen.

Silence your rational voice.

Don’t start to justify and explain your feelings.

You’ll notice your intuition once you’re really listening.

Does this mean you should follow intuition blindly? No. Factor in common sense and a tickle of rationality, and you’ll find the optimal balance for bold and reach your best decisions.

5) Ask Specific Questions to Your Network

“Nobody can give you better advice than yourself.”
— Cicero

Having a strong network is powerful. So powerful, it can even interfere with your trajectory.

It’s tempting to follow smart people’s general opinions.

“What’s my next career step?” is a terrible question to ask your network.

You’ll find yourself living their imagination of a good life. You might sway into a choice that doesn’t work for you.

Regardless of your network’s size and quality, be very selective and specific with the questions you ask.

How to apply this advice

Instead of asking your network, consult yourself first. Before approaching any friend, colleague, or mentor for advice, be clear about your orbit, your energy management, your future self, and your intuition.

Then, come up with specific questions, like:

Do you know any job in _______ (your orbit) where I can deploy my _______ (activities that give you energy) and expand my ________ (skills you want to grow)?

Once you have a specific question, find the person that can give you the best answers to your questions.

If you aren’t satisfied with your opponent’s answer, finish with: Who else do you know in _____ (orbit) I could talk to regarding this question?

6) Invest In Your Decision

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest”
— Benjamin Franklin

Once you made a decision, it’s tempting to overthink. But the more you think about your decision, the more you talk yourself out of it.

We, humans, love to stick to what we know. Your rational mind doesn’t like big changes and might find ways to question your decisions.

The best way to make a decision is by putting high stakes into your decision.

Once you spend time and money on your decision, you’re signaling yourself that you’re serious about it.

How to apply this advice

Put effort into realizing your decision and invest in the decision you made.

Your initial investment is your time. But don’t just browse through books and articles. Invest time in crafting your application. Ask for intros to your future employer.

Besides, make a financial investment. Get a mentor. Go to conferences. Pay for learning experiences like online courses. Apply what you learn in the form of action.

The further you’re in, the less likely your ego will talk you out of it (because it’s generally afraid of everything new and outside of your comfort zone).

The Bottom Line

Get into a peak state, determine your area, analyze your energy level, focus on personal growth, ask and listen to your intuition, ask specific questions to your network, and invest time and money in your decision.

You’ll be blown away by everything that happens in your life, once you made a bold decision on what you want to do for a living.

Just watch the power of life unfold.

Do you want to stay in touch? Join my E-Mail List.

How To Prioritize Your Goals When Working From Home

May 10, 2020 by Eva Keiffenheim

Don’t let others dictate your day.

During the ongoing quarantine, many (privileged) people are working from home.

The initial euphoria of working in sweatpants gave way to a new realization: You can easily prioritize the goals of others over your intentions.

Finally, after many days of self-experimentation, I found a way to structure my time in a way that makes me feel satisfied and content.

By following these steps, you can integrate this structure, too.

The importance of prioritizing your own goals

If you’re a people-pleaser like me, you know how good it feels to promptly reply with “yes,” both in private and business context.

Mentor: “I wrote a new article on business transformations, and I’d love to have your opinion on that. Can you feedback?”

Me: “Yes, of course, I’d love to help you with that as I find the article’s topic interesting (and I appreciate our relation).”

Schoolfriend: “Do you want to join our trivia night via Zoom tomorrow night?”

Me: “Sure, I’d love joining our Zoom reunion (as it’s always fun to see you).”

Former boss: “We haven’t talked in a while. I’d love to know which projects you are currently working on.”

Me: “Yes! Let’s schedule a call on which of the following dates are you available?”

Here’s the problem with saying yes to everything: By consistently fulfilling the requests of others, you stop advancing your goals.

In my case, the result of pleasing people is an exhausted, drained, and unsatisfied individual that isn’t looking forward to her next working day.

There will always be a next new exciting opportunity to say yes too, but doing so too often means you say no to your own goals.

Saying no doesn’t mean you can never join any trivia nights again. But it does mean that you work towards your goals FIRST before you prioritize the requests of others.

There is a simple way to evaluate whether you prioritized saying yes to others over saying yes to your own goals: How much progress are you making towards your ambitions?

Is there something you always wanted to do, but “never find the time to” because you keep saying yes to others? How do you feel after a home office day? If your answer is along the lines of “unhappy, dissatisfied, exhausted, drained,” take the chance to change the flow of your days.

You have control of how you feel at the end of a day.

You are in charge of acting on your dreams. If you don’t take ownership of prioritizing your tasks, others will take over with ease. Eventually, you will live the life of others.

Excursion: The diminishing return of fulfilling requests of others

There’s a diminishing return of fulfilling the requests of others. On the x-axis, you see the time a person spends on completing the requests of others at a ten-hour workday (0=0 hours 10=10 hours). On the y-axis, is the person’s personal satisfaction level after a day of work (0=very unsatisfied 10=very satisfied).

The diminishing return of fulfilling the requests of others (Source: Own Illustration)

The graph demonstrates that fulfilling the requests of others has a diminishing return on your satisfaction level.

The green slope shows that our satisfaction sharply increases with the first hours spent on fulfilling the requests of others.

For me, a day on the green slope means I enjoy my morning routine and focus the next few hours on writing. Only afterward, I focus my mind on fulfilling the requests of others. For about three hours in the afternoon, I enjoy doing good for others, like proofreading a friend’s thesis or checking in with a friend who feels lonely these days. Later afternoon, I shut off my phone again and take the time to do one of my favorite things from this list, like writing a Goodreads review of a book I finished.

The yellow slope visualizes that with every additional hour spent on fulfilling requests of others, your satisfaction levels alters slower. Replying with “yes” and working or helping two more hours of your workday does not do any harm. Being on the yellow slope, you might ask, “What could I be doing instead, that increases my satisfaction level more with the same time invested?”

In the words of economists: “What are your opportunity costs?”.

For me, a day on the yellow slope means I started the day, again, with my morning routine and deep focused work on writing. At lunchtime, I check my inbox and messages. The first hours of helping and replying still feel amazing. But in contrast to a “green slope day,” I continue helping others, while some part of me is longing for other activities. I ignore my need for “alone quality time” and continue helping others.

That behavior is still tolerable. While you could have found more satisfaction in another activity, fulfilling the requests of others is still ok for your satisfaction.

Sounds ignorant? How much good can you do to others if you feel unsatisfied with yourself?

On the pink slope, shit hits the fan with every additional hour spent on fulfilling the requests of others, your satisfaction decreases.

If you already helped other persons for 5 hours that day, any additional hour spent can feel like a burden.

When entering the pink slope, there is no good in continuing fulfilling the requests of others as it drains your energy.

For me, a day on the pink slope starts with my phone interrupting me during my morning routine. I pick up and begin fulfilling the requests of others right away. “There is no time” for working on my writing or podcasting. I continue replying to e-mails.

The thing is, you do not do any good or help society if you give yourself up in helping others.

3 ways to prioritize your goals over the goals of others

1. Know your personal goals and write down the three next steps

Logically, you need to know your life goals to prioritize them. As you are reading this article, you probably know your intentions.

If not, read John Strelecky’s guide on finding your big five for life. Once you know your big goals, break them down into the three next steps.

One of my life goals, for example, is to become a speaker and writer. Why? I want to inspire others to live following their mind, body & nature. As this goal is still kind of abstract, I break it down to three achievements for the next day. Today, for example, goes as follows;

Distraction-free writing for >2 hours
Research two strategies for podcast marketing
Prepare one new podcast episode.

In fact, during the home office, distraction-free working is quite a challenge.

That’s why you need to do another step.

2. Each day, block time for deep work

Next, you need to schedule a time for your work on your calendar. According to behavioral scientist Dan Ariely, your mind is most productive 2–3 hours after waking.

You want to use this time to make progress on your goals. We schedule our meeting times, but we barely schedule deep thinking time for our work.

I start working on my most important task of the day right after waking up (tea+yoga+meditation). I protect the clarity of my mind by rigorously turning off all distractions the night before.

Instead of my phone waking me, I use an alarm clock. I have an alarm clock without the possibility to check any messages or news directly. For my inbox, I use the inbox when ready for the Gmail extension. So, I turn my phone off, and I don’t visit any social media or news sites during my first deep working block.

3. Protect your deep thinking blocks

As demonstrated in the beginning, one readily agrees to help and please other people. Don’t get me wrong. Helping other people is essential and valuable.

I strongly believe that we rise by lifting others. So you should even OFFER help to people you feel you could help. But helping others is even more powerful when you do so while also accomplishing your priorities.

Here is some advice on how to protect your deep thinking blocks

Only say yes to projects that fully align with your goals or where you are the perfect person to help. To all other frame something like:
“Thanks for reaching out. I appreciate you asking XYZ. It sounds as you’re making great progress at XYZ. Unfortunately, I have to decline your request as I have committed to three big projects. That’s why I decline every other request, regardless of how small, big, interesting, or exciting it might be.”
Maintain a “Said no to list”
On this list, write down everything you said no to before. This list can help you in making a decision when you feel unsure whether to say yes or no.
Bundle “fulfilling the needs of others” into blocks during a day. For example, commit to checking your phone only after you have completed your three most important tasks of the day.

The Bottom Line

Prioritize your goals first, before fulfilling the dreams of others.

Your goal is to reach the sweet red spot where you help others while still taking the time to advance your ambitions.

Prioritize your goals by knowing your priorities.

Then, schedule and protect your deep thinking time.

If you do not take care of advancing your personal goals, nobody will.

What are you going to do less? What is the next request you will say no to make time for what matters most to you?

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How To Decide What To Do For A Living