What are you going to do with your life? You probably got asked this question when you were younger or, if your career is currently off track, you ask it of yourself. This is the wrong way to think about your options and potential.

Figuring out what to do at any stage of life is a design problem. There is no one job title or career field that will deeply satisfy you.

You need to take stock of:

• Your values: What matters most to you?
• Your temperament: What are your two dominant preferences and how do they play together?
• Your enjoyable skills: Where do you get your energy?
• Your interests: What fascinates you? What do you want to learn more about?
• What the market will pay for? What is currently in demand? Where do you want to live? Do you want to be remote or in person?
• What are you good at?
• What are you willing to sacrifice?

I’m not making this easier, am I? Well, no, because making a career transition is a complex design problem, which is why you might be stuck. You look at the world of options and don’t know where to start. Here is my guidance:

Step one: Understand you are not seeking a singular passion or opportunity. There is no one perfect relationship, house, or career. There are many good fits. You need to identify the options that align with your needs and desires.

Step two: Dive into the Elevations career assessment and get a great career coach. Elevations provides a platform to prioritize and identify your temperament, values, skills, and career-related interests. It also reveals how you communicate, lead, and function in a team setting. It will validate what you already know about yourself and clear up the clutter.

Step three: Co-create your future with your career coach. Get support in researching your options, determining the details of where you want to live and work, and, most importantly, dealing with the inevitable downside of anything you choose.

Step four: Eliminate your competition. Your effort to design a highly customized, unique career puts you in a strong position. You are going after something born of your strengths and desires. Most people are drowning in the Indeed.com listings, trying to find themselves. It’s a flawed strategy.

One way thinking will lead to a poor choice or a dead end. Embrace the complexity and design a truly rewarding next chapter.