MICRO MISCONCEPTS

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You're Not Lost. You Just Think You Are.

31st October 2025 | misconcepts.org

That gnawing feeling of being "lost"? It's not what you think.

For years, I tortured myself searching for my purpose, that one right path that would finally make everything click. Turns out, I was asking the wrong question entirely.

Here's what I've discovered: You're not lost because you can't find your way. You're paralysed because you believe there's a right way to find.

Once I saw this, I spotted two forces that had been keeping me stuck:

First, we're drowning in infinite options. Before our basic needs were met, life was simple: survive. Today, we're paralysed by endless possibilities whilst navigating with inherited compasses from parents, culture, and society, each pointing towards different destinations.

Psychologist Barry Schwartz summed it up well:

"Learning to choose is hard. Learning to choose well is harder. And learning to choose well in a world of unlimited possibilities is harder still, perhaps too hard."

Second, we assume one "right" path exists. But here's the liberating truth: neuroscience reveals our sense of purpose is constructed by our minds. Neuroscientist Anil Seth's research shows our sense of self is essentially a "controlled hallucination." Evolution suggests we have no inherent purpose at all.

As neuroscientist Anil Seth puts it:

"We don't just passively perceive the world, we actively generate it."

And that's good news.

If there's no predetermined purpose, you're free to create whatever purpose you want. You can change your mind. You can iterate.

The real question isn't "What is my purpose?" It's "What purpose will I create?"

Making the Change

You don't need to search for the right path, you need to start consciously creating it.

Ask yourself honestly: "If I knew I couldn't fail, what would I attempt?" Write for 10 minutes without filters. Not to find the "right" answer, but to discover what you would create if the pressure of being right disappeared.

Your direction doesn't need to be right. It needs to be yours.

What's one thing you will stop searching for and start creating today?

In the full article, I share the complete framework and 7 more questions to help you create your path with clarity.

Read the full article

Thanks for reading!

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