At some point—between a fourth cup of coffee and your third existential crisis of the week—you may have stared into the void that is the ChatGPT input box and typed the question we’ve all silently screamed into our keyboards:
“What should I do with my life?”
And you were probably met with something that sounded like a guidance counselor on a TED Talk bender: “You should consider your passions, values, and strengths. Align them with your long-term goals.”
Which is technically not wrong. But also, wow. Useless.
Because you weren’t asking for a career assessment. You were asking for something deeper. A lifeline, maybe. A clue. A reason to care.
Let’s talk about why that question is so hard to answer—and why ChatGPT, or anyone really, can’t solve it for you.
The Prompt Is the Problem
Let’s be real: if you’re asking a language model what to do with your life, it’s probably not because you’re choosing between becoming a marine biologist or a pastry chef in Paris. It’s because you’re stuck. And being stuck is more existential than strategic.
But the problem with asking ChatGPT—or any external system—is that they’re not in your body. They haven’t sat with your weird boredom, your quiet panic, the way you feel like a fraud during Zoom meetings but come alive watching documentaries about volcanoes at 2 a.m.
ChatGPT can give you a checklist. But it can’t give you clarity. And that’s what you’re really after.
Advice vs. Permission
Here’s something I learned after too many career pivots and one unfortunate stint as a motivational speaker for tech bros: most people aren’t looking for advice. They’re looking for permission.
Permission to change directions. Permission to leave something that’s “fine” but soul-sucking. Permission to want something different than what your LinkedIn profile screams at recruiters.
We’ve all internalized this bizarre belief that our “life purpose” should show up with a welcome kit and a 401(k). So when we don’t feel inspired by our job—or worse, don’t know what we want—we assume we’re broken.
You’re not broken. You’re just caught in the same trap as everyone else: trying to make a blueprint out of a feeling.
What We Really Mean When We Say “Purpose”
When people say they want to find their purpose, they often mean one of three things:
- I want to stop feeling aimless.
- I want my life to matter.
- I want a reason to get out of bed that isn’t shame or caffeine.
And those are valid. But you’re not going to find the answer by analyzing your “zone of genius” like it’s a BuzzFeed quiz. You find it by paying attention to what makes you forget to check your phone. What makes you feel like yourself without trying.
Most of us don’t have one purpose. We have many. And they change. What lit you up at 25 might bore you at 35. That’s not a crisis. That’s a clue.
The Cult of Productivity
We live in a world where meaning is suspicious if it doesn’t come with a monetization strategy. If you say, “I love painting,” someone will inevitably ask, “Are you going to sell them?”
God forbid you do something just because it makes you feel human.
When we ask what we should do with our lives, we’re often trying to reconcile two things:
- What makes us feel alive.
- What makes us look successful.
And those two don’t always overlap.
That doesn’t mean you should quit your job to become a full-time ukulele instructor (unless, obviously, you want to). But it does mean you should be honest about what fills you up—and what empties you.
Try This Instead of “What Should I Do With My Life?”
Here’s a better set of prompts. You don’t need ChatGPT for these. You just need a pen, a quiet space, and maybe a good snack.
- What’s something I do that makes me lose track of time?
- What’s something I keep coming back to, even when I don’t get paid for it?
- What kind of problems do I like solving?
- Who do I envy—and why?
- If I weren’t scared, what would I try?
You won’t get a five-year plan from this. But you might get something better: a direction.
The Myth of the Grand Plan
Everyone wants to believe that life is a ladder, not a jungle gym. That if we just choose the right college major, internship, or startup equity offer, the rest of our life will click into place like a Lego set.
But here’s the truth most people whisper at dinner parties after their third glass of wine: No one really knows what they’re doing.
Life isn’t a straight line. It’s a series of recalibrations.
The people who look the most “together” are usually just really good at faking confidence. Or they got lucky. Or they’re equally lost but too tired to admit it.
When AI Becomes a Mirror
Sometimes, ChatGPT’s vague life advice feels frustrating because it mirrors how unclear we are with ourselves.
We ask, “What should I do with my life?” and expect a divine download. But clarity doesn’t come from asking the perfect question. It comes from being honest about what we’re really asking—and why.
The model can’t answer that. But you can.
And that’s both the bad news and the good news.
TL;DR (But Read It Anyway)
If you’ve ever typed your way into an existential corner and hoped a chatbot would dig you out: same. But here’s what I’ve learned the hard way:
- Your purpose isn’t a job title.
- Your confusion isn’t a failure—it’s part of the deal.
- And asking “What should I do with my life?” might not give you a map, but it might give you a flashlight.
So ask the question. But don’t stop there. Listen to your boredom. Follow your envy. Notice where you light up.
That’s your next step. And maybe, just maybe, that’s enough for now.