Help! I’m almost finished school but don’t know what I want to do next

As Year 12 students pass the halfway point of their final year, the question of “what next?” can start to loom large. Some students have a clear plan: a course they want to get into, a trade they want to start, or a gap year they are saving for.

But many find the question daunting, because the answer is, “I have no idea”.

If this is you, the first thing you need to hear is – not knowing is very normal. The second thing is – you do not need to know or decide your final destination now (or even soon).

Right now, you are being asked to make huge life decisions when you are still learning what you enjoy, what you are good at, the type of people you hope to work with, and what kind of life you want to build.

It is not realistic to think you will know all the answers to these questions at 17 or 18. These answers are supposed to reveal themselves over time, and they will.

Our research points to some strategies that may prove useful in moving forward, even if you don’t know exactly where you’re going yet.

Is my passion important?

One common approach you’ve probably tried is to ask yourself: what am I passionate about?

Personal interest can be a good starting point, but research suggests it’s not the whole picture.

All jobs have good and bad parts, and all futures have ups and downs. So the aim is not to expect constant enjoyment or getting everything you want. It’s to choose a next step that gives you a good chance of building toward a life that is meaningful, energising and right for you.

Our research finds this kind of life tends to emerge when three basic psychological needs are supported. These are:

1. autonomy – feeling like you’re in the driver’s seat of your life

2. competence – feeling like you can build skills and accomplish what needs to be done

3. relatedness – feeling connected to and valued by people you care about.

Everyone experiences the satisfaction of these needs differently, so you need to gather evidence about what satisfies yours.

What makes you feel capable and in control?

So, the task is not to find your passion. The task is to create good evidence about yourself.

Instead of asking “what job title do I want forever?”, ask:

• what kinds of tasks make me feel more capable after I do them?

• when do I feel curious rather than just compliant?

• what environments make me shut down or tune out?

• what kind of people do I want around me all day?

These questions matter because they will point you towards the kinds of experiences you want to have every day. Hopefully, this gives you a practical way to think about next year and a way to talk to people about it too.

Parents, teachers, career advisers, family friends, older students, and people working in fields you’re curious about are all a good start.

But remember, you need to feel in charge of your life. Bring them in on your evidence gathering rather than asking them to decide for you. Saying something like, “I’m open to advice. But I need support to do my own thinking,” might help.

As your time allows, try new things and be open. This might involve taking a class, getting a casual job, volunteering or joining a team. Pay attention to what leaves you feeling more skilled, connected and in control.

It’s OK not to know

My own career trajectory has been far from linear. I had many (many!) jobs across three full-time careers before I discovered my current career in academic research satisfies my needs. All the dots connected in the end, none of my previous experience was wasted.

I use myself as an example to show how the next step will not make or break your whole life.

So choose a next step that is realistic, builds skills, and is most likely to support those basic psychological needs.

The form of that choice matters less than whether it gives you room to grow, build confidence, meet people, and gather better information about yourself.