27-year-old employee feels lost and says, ‘I truly don’t know what I am looking for’

SINGAPORE: Career burnout or quarter-life crisis? A 27-year-old employee took to social media on Thursday (March 6) to express his confusion over what he wants out of his career. “I truly don’t know what I am looking for,” he shared. “A part of me is like ‘Let’s go! Be ambitious! Aim high!’ And another part of me is just like, ‘Life is hard enough. Let’s just cruise through life. It does not need to be harder than it already is.'”

The writer admitted that his current job is “pretty comfortable,” saying he earns enough as someone without a partner or kids. He also shared that he still lives with his parents, doesn’t spend much, and doesn’t have any big loans. However, despite not really having any overtime and having a long lunch break during his workdays, he cannot help but wonder if he is falling behind. “Yeah, there’s really nothing much to complain about,” he shared. “It is just that I am 27, and sometimes, when I see my peers achieving so much more, I feel like maybe I am not doing enough.”

He went on to clarify that he doesn’t hate his job—his concern is more about the lack of growth opportunities. “My job is great,” he said. “It’s good enough, and at the very least, I do not dread having to go to work, which is pretty important in my opinion, but then again, if I stay put here, opportunities are limited, probably no promotion and increments will be the standard 2% to 3%.”

The writer shared his openness to looking for a better-paying job with more responsibilities. “Maybe a bit longer working hours,” he said. “When I see everyone hustling, I almost feel guilty at times. I feel like I am doing a retirement job at 27, and yet, I see so many people being upset about their work, and I’m so grateful at least I don’t feel that way?”

In response to his post, a handful of Singaporeans encouraged him to self-reflect instead of comparing himself to his peers. “You’ll have to decide what you want in life!” said one. “Do you want enough to survive and save for things like travel (even if it takes longer, you’ll still be able to travel), or do you want to hustle, work till late and have no time or energy to do anything? Personally, I took a comfy job because I don’t want to hustle anymore and would rather have more time for fun things I like and rest! I know some people who have higher-paying jobs but never have time for anything, leave work at around 9! So decide what you want and go from there! Oh, and don’t compare yourself to others; you’re only making yourself feel (bad) for no reason!”

According to an article by Harvard Business Review, reaching a place where you feel like you don’t know what you want to do can actually be advantageous to your career. That being said, embracing the unknown might actually help you discover what it is you truly want. Allow it to make you more adaptable. Also, live a life of purpose by making sure that your day-to-day choices align with your values.

See also: How do you back out of a job offer? Soon-to-be graduate seeks advice on whether it’s possible to backtrack after signing offer letter

Featured photo by Depositphotos/ Juphotostocker (for illustration purposes only)