How to Know What You Actually Want Next (Even When You Feel Lost)

One of the most common things people say when they come to Wisepath is this:

“I just don’t know what I want anymore.”

It’s not that they’re unmotivated, directionless, or lacking ambition. It’s that they’ve spent years — sometimes decades — making decisions based on what was available, expected, practical, or necessary for their family, finances, or circumstances.

And now they’re standing at a crossroads, sensing that something needs to change… but unsure what the next step should be.

If this feels familiar, take a breath. Feeling lost is not a sign that something is wrong. It’s often the first indication that you’re ready for a more aligned, intentional chapter.

Here’s how to start finding clarity when everything feels foggy.

1. Stop trying to “pick the perfect job”

When people feel lost, they often jump straight to job titles:

• “Should I be an EA?”

• “Maybe I should go back to what I was doing before the kids…”

• “Do I need a completely new career?”

• “Should I study something?”

But choosing a job title without clarity is like picking a house to buy without knowing your budget, lifestyle, or what you actually need.

You don’t need a job title first.
You need understanding.

Clarity isn’t found by choosing something at random — it’s found through reflection, exploration, and gentle curiosity.

2. Start with your season of life

Your next step must make sense for your real life, not the imagined version where you have unlimited time, childcare, energy, or financial freedom.

Ask yourself:

• What is the reality of my life right now?

• What does this season require from me?

• Where is there space? Where is there pressure?

• What are the non-negotiables for my wellbeing and finances?

Your season matters.
If you’re parenting young children, supporting a partner in Defence, managing a high-tempo household, caring for family, studying, recovering, or rebuilding financially — your career choices should honour that.

Clarity comes when we stop fighting our season and start designing within it.

3. Notice what drains you — and what gives you energy

Most people can list what they don’t want faster than what they do want.
This is valuable data.

Clarity often emerges by exploring energy, not just ambition.

Ask yourself:

• What activities leave me feeling energised, even if they’re challenging?

• What tasks drain me quickly?

• When do I feel most like myself?

• What environments help me thrive?

Sometimes the path reveals itself not through passion, but through patterns.

Energy is a compass.
Follow it.

4. Reconnect with your values — they are your decision-making engine

When you feel lost, values are your anchor.

Common values include:

• stability

• growth

• contribution

• learning

• family

• flexibility

• creativity

• leadership

• calm

• security

• achievement

• connection

Your next career step should feel like an expression of your values, not a compromise of them.

Try this prompt:

“In the next chapter of my life, what values do I want my work to support?”

Clarity begins where values and everyday life overlap.

5. Look at the bigger picture: Work. Wealth. Wellbeing.

This is where the Work–Wealth–Wellbeing Triad becomes essential.

When you feel lost, it’s usually because one of these pillars is misaligned — or because you’re trying to make decisions by focusing on only one of them.

Here’s how to use the triad to find direction:

Work

• What skills do you enjoy using?

• What strengths feel natural, not forced?

• What tasks give you meaning or satisfaction?

• What kind of work environment do you need?

Wealth

• What income do you realistically need?

• What flexibility can you afford right now?

• What financial goals matter to you?

• What risks or opportunities feel comfortable?

Wellbeing

• How much energy do you have in this season?

• What boundaries do you need?

• What supports your mental health?

• What lifestyle do you want your work to complement?

Most breakthroughs happen when someone finally sees their whole life in the picture — not just their job history.

6. Give yourself permission to explore more than one option

You don’t need to lock yourself into one perfect answer.

In fact, the most effective approach to clarity is exploring two or three possible pathways at once. This is something many clients do within the Pivot Pathways Framework®.

When you explore multiple possibilities, you often discover:

• what feels expansive

• what feels heavy

• what aligns with your values

• what doesn’t match your lifestyle

• what’s financially viable

• what sparks curiosity or excitement

Exploration is not indecision.
It’s wisdom.

7. Try low-risk experiments

Once you’ve identified a few potential directions, try small, low-pressure steps to “test” them:

• a short online course

• volunteering or shadowing

• talking to someone in the field

• reading about the industry

• applying for one role to see how it feels

• joining a networking group

• experimenting with a hobby or skill

These small tests offer huge insights.

Experiments create clarity without the fear of committing too soon.

8. Use reflective questions designed to unlock clarity

Here are Wisepath’s favourite clarity questions — the same ones used in sessions with clients:

1. What do I want more of in my work life?

2. What do I want less of?

3. If I removed fear from the equation, what would I consider?

4. What would make my everyday life feel easier?

5. What future version of myself am I trying to support?

Sit with these. Let them simmer.
Clarity isn’t rushed — it’s revealed.

9. Get support — clarity is hard to create in isolation

When you’re overwhelmed, burnt out, juggling family responsibilities, or carrying emotional load, clarity becomes harder to access.

Many clients come to Wisepath saying:

“I’ve been thinking about this for months and I’m no closer to knowing what I want.”

That’s because clarity often emerges through guided questioning, reflection, structure, and having someone help you connect dots you can’t see on your own.

This is where the Pivot Pathways Framework® becomes powerful — it turns confusion into direction, and direction into action.

If you feel lost, it doesn’t mean you’re broken — it means you’re ready for your next chapter

Clarity is not a lightning bolt.
It’s a conversation — with yourself, your values, your season of life, and your possibilities.

When you approach it gently, intentionally, and holistically, you’ll begin to feel the fog lift.
And once clarity arrives, everything else — confidence, decisions, direction — becomes so much easier.

If you’re ready to reconnect with what you want next, Wisepath is here to walk beside you.

You can:

• Book a free 15-minute Clarity Call at www.wisepath.au

• Request a PEAP service quote (if you're an ADF partner)

• Start exploring your options with the Pivot Pathways Framework®

Your clarity is already forming.
You just need the space — and support — to hear it.