10 Reasons Why I’m Always So Confused About My Career (Some of Them Might Even Apply to You)

Confession time: I have no idea what I’m doing with my career. Like, none. Some days, I convince myself I’m “just figuring it out.” Still, most days, I feel like I’m playing an elaborate game of “Career Hot Potato,” trying not to drop my entire sense of self-worth while I shuffle through endless tasks and vague goals (at least for me because my boss believes they are incredible). If that sounds familiar, congrats! We’re both thriving (read: barely hanging on).

But why is career confusion basically a rite of passage in the coming-of-age movie of the lives of Millennials and Gen Z? Why does it feel like we’re all running on some kind of high-stakes hamster wheel? Well, I’ve done some soul-searching (and by “soul-searching,” I mean scrolling TikTok at 1 a.m. and then on Substack at 3 a.m.), and here are 10 reasons why I’m confused about my career. Don’t say I didn’t warn you if a few of these hit too close to home.

There Are Too Many Options

Remember when one of the adults in your life told you that you could be anything you wanted? Yeah, that bit of motivational pep talk really set us up, huh? Now we’re faced with a buffet of career options, side hustles, passion projects, and oddly specific job ads (“Must have 7 years of experience managing ferrets in a corporate setting”). It’s like standing in front of Netflix, paralyzed by choice, except my future is on the line.

The Internet Keeps Moving the Goalposts

One day it’s “follow your passion!” The next it’s “passion is overrated; just grind and secure the bag!” Then someone chimes in with, “Actually, passion should be your side hustle, and you should monetize it too.” How about this for a novel idea? Can we all just...stop? I just want a job that doesn’t crush my soul and maybe even write a best-selling book, but the internet insists that I must find meaning and success and also drink green smoothies every morning.

Our Parents’ Advice Feels...Outdated

“Why don’t you just stay at one job for 30 years like I did?” Oh, Dad, we’ve been over this. The job market you knew is now a chaotic mix of contract gigs, layoffs disguised as “company restructures,” and LinkedIn posts that sound more like therapy sessions. Also, rent was how much for you? Cool, cool. Sorry, you already owned a house before you turned 30. Goodbye and thank you.

Everyone Else Seems to Have It Figured Out

Listen, I get it. Comparison is the thief of joy. But HOW am I supposed to avoid it when Emma on Instagram just landed her dream job and casually started a furniture restoration business on the side? Meanwhile, I’m over here Googling, “Can I put ‘enthusiastic emails’ under soft skills on my resume?”

Work Doesn’t Feel Like It Used To

The traditional concept of “work” doesn’t exactly match our lived realities. We don’t clock out and leave it behind. Nope, these days, work follows us home in the form of Slack notifications, email pings, and deeply existential questions like, “Should I have spoken up more in the meeting today, or am I just overthinking it again?”

The Pressure to ‘Love What You Do’ is Exhausting

There’s an unspoken pressure to not only be good at your job but to love it. Like, we’re supposed to wake up every morning with stars in our eyes and a burning passion to answer customer support tickets. Spoiler alert: Most days, I want to get through my to-do list without crying. Is that not enough?

The Economy is Playing Games With Us

Honestly, how am I supposed to career-plan when every headline screams “Recession is coming!” followed by “Lazy millennials are killing the economy!” Well, which is it? Because your girl needs to know whether she should be upskilling for job security or bracing herself for another “pivot.”

The Grass Always Looks Greener

Ever catch yourself daydreaming about a totally different career? “What if I quit corporate and have a flower shop/bookstore?” (Spoiler: I would kill all the flowers but I think the selection of books will be amazing.) Or, “What if I got into UX design even though I don’t know what UX design actually is?” It’s human nature to think the next thing is the thing that will make us happy. But like, what if it’s not?

Burnout Makes Everything Feel Impossible

Here’s a fun twist of fate. By the time you get semi-close to figuring out your next career move, you’re so fried from your current job that you don’t have the energy to do anything about it. The idea of updating your resume alone feels like running a marathon. Retirement, where you at?

We’re All Just Trying to Find Meaning

Ah yes, the big one. Deep down, we’re not just confused about making money or climbing ladders—we’re confused about our purpose. Is my career supposed to fulfill me? Should it align with my values? Can I get by just doing a job I kind of like and saving my energy for the things that really bring me joy? Nobody handed me a user guide for this, so I feel like I’m making it up as I go.

So, What Now?

If you’ve made it this far and thought, “Wow, same,” just know you’re not alone in feeling like your career is a weird puzzle with half the pieces missing. The truth is, most people don’t have it all figured out. (Not even that friend from your college who seems to be on the road to becoming a millionaire, I promise.) Career confusion is normal, especially when the world keeps adding new layers of uncertainty and expectation.

The good news? You don’t have to crack the code today. You don’t even have to know where you want to be in five years (even though recruiters will definitely ask you). Sometimes, the best thing you can do is focus on the next small step. Update your LinkedIn, send out that application, go for a run to reflect on what you want, or just take a freaking nap to recharge.

Because here’s the real secret no one tells you about careers. It’s less about following a straight path and more about figuring out what feels right, one step at a time. And if you don’t know today? That’s okay. None of us really do. But hey, at least we’ve got each other.