How to Figure Out What to Do With Your Life

Which project would I most regret not having accomplished by the time I'm 80—given the motivations I have for the foreseeable future?

For many, that list will include Knowledge, Adventure, Fame, Power, Money, Exercising Talent, and Human Connection.

Don't forget to think long-term: value Knowledge and Exercising Talents while lessening the importance of Money.

The Personal Values exercise Write down the values you passionately care about when pursuing projects.

Remember that it's okay if your values change in the future. For now, just focus on:

Then, for each project you're considering, place a checkmark next to the value that it has a high likelihood of fulfilling. 

Our values change over time. It's not self-evident unless we self-assess. We self-assess by ordering our values and identifying which projects best satisfy them.

Finally, based on how many checkmarks each project has, and how highly those values are ranked, compare the potential fulfillment of each project. 

We universally lack the discipline to halt our inertia to ask, Should I still be doing what I'm doing?

It's uncomfortable to commit to a long-term project unless we first do two things: 1. Weigh the pros and cons until we're convinced our ROI is very high. 2. Rule out everything else.