I’m at that age where half my friends have a solid plan for their futures (careers, marriage, houses, etc.) and the other half are still a little…lost. One of the biggest misconceptions is that when you don’t have set goals, it’s because you aren't driven enough. Or you're too skeptical of yourself. Or you don’t know how to get what you want in life. Although these statements may hold true to the bums of the world, they aren’t true for those of us who are simply unsure of what we want. In fact it is the exact opposite.

Even though I’m not exactly sure of what I want in life (at the moment), I know that once I discover that goal, I will chase it until I achieve it. I am incredibly driven, but I don’t see the point in pushing myself to achieve a goal that I settled for. I would rather wait and know wholeheartedly that I am 100 percent dedicated to whatever it is I’m pursuing.

Financial, emotional and timely investments such as where you want to go to school, what you want to study, and your future job and home all consist of remarkable decisions that shouldn’t be forced or rushed based on the timing of the decisions regarding your peers. If you aren’t ready to make a decision, wait. By forcing yourself into something you doubt or mislike, you will never be motivated, devoted or inspired to move forwards. If you go to college and you're unsure of what you want to study, don’t declare a major and waste countless credit hours in a specific area of concentration. Branch out and take a variety of classes in order to find something you love. Be willing to try new things, and never ever settle for less.

People say to do what makes you happy and to surround yourself by the people you love. This saying couldn’t be more true, and it’s OK if it takes some of us longer to figure it out. The way I see it is that it is better to spend more time figuring out what you do want than it is invest and waste your time in doing something or being with someone that makes you unhappy. You should never feel like you have to be with someone or that you have to work at a certain company or drive a certain car. Everyone has different goals, and just because some people take longer to discover these goals should not take away from their validity or credibility. We have to accept that everyone moves at their own pace and understand the difference between taking the time to discover goals and simply not aspiring to have any.