Throughout school and college, we were told what to do, when to do and how to do things. We were given clear instructions on how to level up in life — Study this, write that exam, take these classes. We grew up taking instructions for the most part, from parents or teachers.
Once you complete college and become an adult - there is no fixed timetable to follow. You are not promoted to the next level by writing examinations. Life becomes increasingly complex.
The realization
I found myself constantly looking to others for advice or direction. I wanted them to hand me a ready-made solution or at least chart out a path for me to get to where I wanted to go.
No one can give me a curriculum for life because it does not exist. But I had fallen into my old patterns of schooling where syllabuses were handed over and all I had to do was follow them. This caused immense confusion, I found myself listening and swaying to every opinion or advice that came to me.
I have now come to realize that my circumstances are unique and no one can tell me what to do.
I need to be the captain of the ship, I may receive some valuable advice but it is up to me to make the choices.
Unschooling yourself
When you were younger, things happened to you. As a child or even a teenager, you kept leveling up in life but as an adult, you need to make choices for yourself. Things will no longer happen to you. You have to make them happen for you.
If you want to level up in anything from here on out, you have to do it on your own or you can simply choose to stay in the same place in life.
Most people don't even realize they are in the same place because it is very easy to coast through life as an adult. No one is forcing you to do anything. How do we handle this gift which feels more like a curse?
We need to unschool ourselves and get out of the conditioning. There are no rules in this game. There are no teachers or authority figures who will tell you what to do. We make them up. We play the game however we want it.
To be able to do this, you need to understand and know who you are. Take into account your situation and think for yourself. Craft your own curriculum, create your own levels - you are no longer bound by the rules of any organization. As scary as it may be, this is what you need to realize. Only if we truly understand this, we will be able to unlock our potential.