Blog / I don't know what to do with my life
“I don't know what to do with my life.” Start here.
Everyone around you seems to have a plan. Uni, an apprenticeship, a gap year in Europe. And you're sitting there thinking: I genuinely have no idea. Here's the thing – that's way more common than it looks, and there's a way through it.
First: you're not behind
Across OECD countries, 39% of 15-year-olds can't say what job they expect to have – and that number has grown in recent years (OECD, 2025). Plenty of the people who sound sure are just louder about it. Some of them will change their minds next year.
You don't need a life plan. You need a good next step – and the freedom to adjust as you learn.
The passion myth
“Follow your passion” sounds great until you don't have one. The good news: research suggests passions are mostly developed, not discovered. In a study published in Psychological Science, people who believed interests are fixed – that you just have to find yours – were quicker to drop a new interest when it got hard. People who believed interests can grow stuck with it (O'Keefe, Dweck & Walton, 2018).
Translation: stop waiting for a lightning bolt. Try things, and give the ones that feel a bit interesting time to grow.
Six steps to find a direction
1. Collect your evidence
Write down everything you've done that went well – not just school. A job, a sport, looking after your siblings, fixing a bike, running a group chat, a game you got really good at, a time someone thanked you. That list is evidence of what you're good at.
2. Find the “why”
For each thing on your list, ask: what did I actually like about it? Building something? Helping someone? Winning? Figuring it out? Making money? The why shows up in loads of different jobs. The AI coach in our demo asks about exactly this. The demo is for ages 16 and up.
3. Write your no-gos
Knowing what you don't want is half the answer. Sitting at a desk all day? Night shifts? Moving cities? Lots of maths? Working alone? Cross those off and the list gets shorter fast.
4. Pick three paths to test – not one to commit to
Based on your why and your no-gos, pick three possible directions. They can be really different: say, electrician, nursing and starting a small business. Look them up on Tahatū – what they pay and how you get in.
5. Run small experiments
For each path, find a cheap, quick way to try it:
- Watch three “day in the life” videos from people in NZ doing that job
- Message someone who does it and ask for 15 minutes – most people say yes
- Ask your careers advisor about work experience or Gateway
- Do a free online intro course, or a weekend of the real thing
“I tried it and it's not for me” is a result. You just saved yourself years.
6. Choose one step for this week
Not a five-year plan. One step: send one message, apply for one job, book one info session. Then next week, another one. Direction is built week by week, not decided in one go.
When nothing interests you
Sometimes “I don't know what I want” is really “I don't feel like anything right now”. If you've felt flat, tired or hopeless for weeks, that's not a career problem – it's a wellbeing one, and it's really common. Sleep, too much scrolling and stress can all drain your energy. Talk to someone you trust, your school counsellor or your GP, or call or text 1737 any time.
If you're OK but just bored, try this: for one week, notice any moment where time went fast. Write it down. That's your starting point.
What not to do
- Don't pick something just to stop the questions. A course chosen to make the adults go quiet is an expensive way to buy silence.
- Don't compare your behind-the-scenes to everyone else's highlights. Social media makes everyone look more sorted than they are.
- Don't wait until you're sure. You get sure by doing things, not by thinking harder.
Your options, honestly
There are more roads than uni or nothing: work, apprenticeships, polytechnic courses, the Defence Force, a planned gap year or starting your own thing. Our guide to what to do after high school in NZ walks through all of them, and is university worth it? compares the costs. Some of the best-paid jobs in the country don't need a degree at all – see high-paying jobs without a degree.
Doing this with Week by Week
This is exactly what Week by Week, an AI coach, does with you. A few short conversations about what you've done, what drives you and what you'd never do. Then career paths that fit you, any current job ads near you, a plain-language look at how AI may change each path and one small step to take this week. You check in, celebrate the win and pick the next one. Join with a nickname – no real name needed.
If things feel heavy: free call or text 1737 any time to talk to a trained counsellor. Youthline: 0800 376 633 or free text 234. In an emergency, call 111.
Questions
Is it normal not to know what you want to do at 17?
Completely. Across OECD countries, 39% of 15-year-olds can't say what job they expect to have, and that number has been going up. Lots of adults have changed direction more than once, too.
What if nothing interests me?
Start smaller. Notice what gives you even a bit of energy – a conversation, a game, fixing something, helping someone. If nothing has felt good for weeks, that can be low mood rather than a lack of interests, and it's worth talking to someone.
Should I just go to uni and figure it out there?
Uni can be a great place to explore, but it's an expensive way to search – especially now that Fees Free is ending. If you're unsure, a year of work, an apprenticeship or a short course can tell you a lot for much less.
How do I find my passion?
Research suggests passions are mostly developed, not found. People who believe interests can grow are more likely to stick with something new when it gets hard. So instead of waiting for a spark, try things and keep the ones that grow on you.
Want a plan that's actually about you? Week by Week is an AI coach that helps you turn what you've done into career paths that fit, any current job ads near you and one small step each week. Join with a nickname – no real name needed. Your school can try it free with 5 students for a month.
Sources
- OECD (2025), The State of Global Teenage Career Preparation – career uncertainty
- O'Keefe, Dweck & Walton (2018), Implicit theories of interest: finding your passion or developing it?, Psychological Science
- Tahatū Career Navigator, How to make a career decision