I’m 24 and have been working for my dad at his brake shop for the last 8 years. My fathers planning on retiring in July and is expecting me to step up. Im scared. Im really fucking scared. Not so much about running the shop but committing to it for what may be the rest of my life. I’ve looked in the mirror every morning for the past month and asked myself “what do YOU want” and I just can’t seem find an answer. Im feeling lost and stuck. I know my life will be fine whatever I choose because I really do have a great support system but every option still seems so daunting. Self help books have never really peaked my interest because I don’t want direct answers. I guess I’m looking for a story that’s filled with messages and themes that will help me deal with my struggles of growing up and having to take responsibility for my own future. Im new to this sub so I’m not sure if this is the right format but I’m in need of inspiration.
TLDR: Recommend me a story about growing up and taking control/responsibility for my own life that might help me along my journey of discovering who I am and what I want.
by peepee2peepee
2 Comments
Suggest you commit to some shorter (realistic) term goals that you believe you can achieve along with various milestones that give you feedback on your progress in the different areas. Keep a progress diary to track the process, your successes, failures, areas you need to learn more, etc.
I see a bit of a contradiction here, because you have some very direct questions but you don’t want direct answers. Literature is generally not very good at answering direct questions, because you can never know where a really deep book will take you. If you do relent on the self-help ban, I suggest “A Liberated Mind” by Steven Hayes. It’s got plenty of exercises in it (in Part 2), which will guide you to finding your own answers. I’d also share a quote from a very wise friend of mine: “if you haven’t seen a psychologist by the time you’re 30, you’re crazy,” so you could just talk to someone (although good ones can be hard to find). Another option, which is between self-help and psychology is *Four Thousand Weeks* by Oliver Burkeman. I certainly wish I’d read it at your age.
If none of that convinces you, I’d suggest reading books about living uconventionally and deeply. *On the Road* by Jack Kerouac and *Walden* by Henry David Thoreau are two titles that come to mind. People also rave about *Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance* by Robert Pirsig, although it’s never really spoken to me.