What Am I Doing With My Life? How to Create a Career Aligned with YOU

Career Clarity Starts with Radical Self-Awareness

Let’s talk about the heart of Suzy’s Becoming You method — and what I see in coaching every day: You can’t make good decisions about your future until you deeply understand your present. That means getting really clear on three things:

1. Your Values: Who Are You Really?

Not “what your college advisor said you should value.” Not “what looks good on a LinkedIn profile.” I’m talking about the core motivations that define what success means to you.

Do you crave achievement and recognition? Or is it flexibility and fun that fuels you? Do you light up when you’re collaborating with others, or do you need quiet solitude to do your best thinking?

Suzy created the Values Bridge to help you figure that out so you can design your life and career around what matters most to you — and honestly, I’m obsessed. I’ve been recommending it to everyone from career coaching clients to married couples in conflict (because values misalignment doesn’t just show up at work, folks).

This tool identifies your top personal values and whether you’re currently living them. Which is where the friction comes from.

2. Your Aptitudes: What Are You Built to Do?

It’s not just about what you love — it’s about what you’re good at, and what kind of environments help you thrive. Are you a big-picture thinker? A detail-driven doer? A people person? A behind-the-scenes strategist?

Knowing your natural gifts and tendencies and using a strengths-based approach helps you stop trying to shove yourself into roles that don’t fit. Trust me, I’ve coached too many brilliant creatives who ended up burnt out in tech sales because “it paid well” — and too many soul-centered helpers who landed in high-pressure environments that left them anxious and depleted.

Need help identifying your strengths? Here’s a great place to start: How to Identify Your Strengths

3. Your Economically Viable Interests: What Can You Get Paid For?

Now here’s where Suzy gets real. You might love interpretive dance, but if your top values include financial success and stability, you might need to find a different outlet for that passion.

This framework includes widening your awareness of the real opportunities available to you — across industries you may not even know exist. Did you know most college grads are only aware of 11 types of jobs? ELEVEN. There are literally thousands.

This is where coaching can be a game-changer. We help you look beyond your current lens, identify adjacent possibilities, and design a life that’s exciting and sustainable.

What Career Clarity Feels Like (Hint: It’s Not Fireworks)

One of my favorite moments in our podcast conversation was when Suzy said, “Confidence often comes before passion.” That really hit home.

Sometimes we expect career clarity to feel like lightning striking — “Yes! This is it!” — when in reality, it feels more like quiet knowing. A sense of inner alignment. A calm in your chest. A “yes” in your gut.

You won’t always feel euphoric. But you’ll feel clear. You’ll no longer be wondering “What am I doing with my life?” And that clarity? It’s worth everything.

Ready to Get Clarity and Confidence?

You don’t have to figure this out on your own. Our Clarity and Confidence Coaching pairs you with an expert therapist trained in coaching psychology to help you uncover your purpose, break through fear and confusion, and take decisive steps toward a fulfilling career. 

You can schedule a free consultation to talk to an expert on our team. No pressure, just a warm, judgment-free conversation with someone who truly understands. This is your moment to stop second-guessing and start moving forward — with clarity, courage, and real support.

And hey — if you’re not already following me on Instagram or YouTube, come say hi! I’m always sharing bite-sized wisdom, clips from interviews with experts, and free resources to support you on your journey to love, happiness, and success.

Xoxo

Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby

P.S. If you know someone who’s struggling with career confusion right now, please share this with them. It could be the exact thing they need to hear today. You might just be their lighthouse. 

Resources:

Lieff, S. J. (2009). Perspective: the missing link in academic career planning and development: pursuit of meaningful and aligned work. Academic Medicine, 84(10), 1383-1388. https://journals.lww.com/academicmedicine/fulltext/2009/10000/perspective__the_missing_link_in_academic_career.22.aspx

Brammer, L. M. (1992). Coping with life transitions. International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, 15, 239-253. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02449903

Longenecker, P. D. (2013). The positive impact of individual core values. Journal of business ethics, 115, 429-434. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10551-012-1409-0