How to answer, "I Don’t Know What I Want Anymore"
A grounded way to see what’s changed when clarity feels far away
There was a time when you were sure.
You knew what you wanted.
You had goals. A plan. A path.
And then something shifted.
You got what you thought you wanted
Or you reached a level where the next step stopped making sense.
Now, when someone asks, “what’s next?”
You freeze.
You overthink.
You say something that sounds fine but doesn’t feel true.
Not because you’re lost.
But because your definition of “right” has changed, and you haven’t named it yet.
Why This Feels So Unsettling
Most people assume clarity is just about direction.
But for high achievers, clarity is often about permission.
You’ve been running on goals for so long that slowing down feels wrong.
You’ve been rewarded for certainty, decisiveness, and execution.
So now, in the absence of all that, you feel like something’s wrong with you.
But it’s not.
You’re just in a clarity pause.
It’s a signal, not a setback.
A Small Clarity Check-In
If this is where you are, here are 3 quiet questions that help you see it more clearly:
What part of your old plan no longer feels like you?
The goal? The role? The version of success you were chasing?What are you still trying to force yourself to want, even though it doesn’t fit?
The promotion? The pivot? The pace?What part of you has changed, even if you haven’t admitted it out loud yet?
Your priorities? Your energy? Your values?
Notice the answers.
You don’t have to fix them yet.
Naming them is clarity.
A Gentle Tool to Ground You
Try this 3-part lens when clarity feels far away:
Past → Present → Pull
Past: What you used to want
Present: What actually energizes you right now
Pull: What feels quietly magnetic, even if you don’t have words for it yet
You don’t need a 5-year plan.
You just need the next question that’s more honest than the last answer you gave.
What to carry into your week
“I don’t know what I want” is not a failure.
It’s often the first sign that you’re done chasing things that were never meant for you.
Let it be quiet.
Let it be true.
Clarity starts there.
See you next wednesday,
Devieka
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You provide a valuable service in today’s work world! I enjoyed reading it.