I have no real talents or interests in anything and , worst of all, no ideas on what to do after high school. Actually I thought a lot and read tons of articles and blogs but it just seem the more I think the less I can focus on reality. Now there are only a few months left until I graduate and I have to make up my mind. I desperately need advices.

Stop eating for a few days and live on the streets. Then, when you are cold and hungry think about what you would/could do for a hot meal and soft bed.

This sounds theoretical now but it will be reality in a few years if you don't make something of your life.

Stop reading articles/blogs - it's not anyone's job to decide for your future. You decide for it yourself. Think of the things that you really like to do and the things that you have always wanted to achieve. Start from there.

You don't necessarily have to plan that far ahead. Where would you live, if you didn't live at home? What would you do if you weren't in school all day? Then figure out how to make that happen.

Unless you're just dying to be a doctor or lawyer or research scientist or something, who has to go to college and has their next six or eight years pretty well mapped out for them, you've got plenty of time to figure out what you want to do in the long term. There's nothing wrong with a minimum wage job to pay the bills, till you figure out what you'd really enjoy or a way to make more.

I'll give you the same advice I gave my brother that is graduating High School this year. Don't think about what you NEED to do for the rest of your life. Think about what you really like to do. What would you do if you didn't have to worry about money?

When I asked my brother what he wanted to go to college for he had no idea. I asked him what he liked to do that made him feel relaxed. He replied that he likes to cut hair. His dad (my step-dad), younger brother, and friends all go to him for quick cleanups and such. I told him that he could be a barber. The response I got...

"I don't think they make enough money though..."

I asked him if having a huge SUV with a big stereo system parked in the driveway of a too big for a family of eight's house was worth having a unfulfilled life. To which he replied, "I never thought about that. I guess it isn't."

I just wish I could go back in time and follow my own advice .

I would wholeheartedly agree with the concepts of: 1) Not having to plan that far in advance; 2) "What would you do if you didn't have to worry about money?"; and 3) Stop reading so much "advice"! While the concept of "living on the streets" also has its merits, I would suggest that if this is the route you choose to pursue, that you beg, borrow, and/or steal to make your way to Europe as, if you're going to be a "bum", you may as well practice your lifestyle while also enjoying a "change of scene".

Talk about "going back in time", if I knew when I was your age what I know now, I would have likely never gone to college. As it is, I have 30+ years experience, a Bachelor's and Master's degree, and am nearly reaching my 3rd anniversary of being unemployed. I have applied for over 500 jobs with no success other than an occasional interview. Consequently, if I had "it all over to do again", (after and/or if I returned from Europe), I would have pursued some sort of technical trade such as welding. As it is nearly 2011, there are many two-year programs the completion of which will provide you the ability to become employed with fiber optics companies, cable companies, phone companies, etc. Sure, you likely won't live the life of "white shirts, ties, and a room full of attorneys", but you're not missing anything! Plus, there is the potential to make a decent living and have decent health benefits. Lastly, depending on your "vocation", membership in a union will hopefully provide you a pension in 30 years.

Lastly, if you do wish to attend a university, perhaps "sitting out a year" and taking the standard classes such as English, etc. at a smaller school is an option. If this is the route you chose, you would have to be disciplined enough to take some classes simply to keep your brain active. It is just a "fact of life" that everyone believes they should attend college immediately after they graduate from high school. However, in my case, as well as with almost everyone I know, most people are too immature to attend college when they’re 18!

There is nothing wrong with learning a trade. But I think the key thing here is that everyone needs to be motivated to do something to earn a living. I'm sorry that you have been unemployed so long but you did learn to do something and you did work for 30+ years presumably earning a living.

You are correct! I made good money, was able to enjoy vacations, buy nice things, etc. However, the #1 "issue" which no one seems to address when it comes to unemployment is the fact that not only are people going "unpaid", their "retirement accounts" are also not being funded. I'm sure others have come to that realization, but as it is more "bad news", the issue is not discussed too much. To me, this "giant deficit", which will adversely affect the quality of life of those expected to “retire” in the next 10 to 15 years is grossly underestimated. Additionally, based upon recent and past “governance”, I do not expect any sort of critical thought regarding the topic to emanate from Washington D.C. any time soon.

To specifically address your point, you are correct in that everyone needs to be “motivated to do something to earn a living”. So, in the instance you need motivation simply to “make a living”, I would strongly advocate you pursue the “crash course” of living on the streets (as suggested). Although I have yet to engage in this activity, I’m pretty sure that this approach would provide you with instant motivation!

Additionally, based on your original post, I can’t determine whether you are currently employed. However, if not, you should make your very best effort to become employed at a fast food restaurant, grocery store, rendering plant, saw mill, etc. which should be a relatively easy task based upon your presumed age. Although career employment with these entities is a noble venture, should you decide that you personally determine you do not wish to become a career employee, I believe the “motivation” you seek will reveal itself about the same time.

The bottom line is, “motivation” is not suddenly going to appear as an epiphany at the foot of your bed. If you decide you want to be the quintessential expert regarding Steller’s sea lions, for example, then you need to ensure that you secure the appropriate training (through a PhD), acquire every bit of job experience which you are able (even as a volunteer), and relentlessly pursue your goal until it is achieved at which time you set another goal! You are obligated to assume the personal responsibility of becoming "productive". Consequently, ONLY you have the ability to decide what you want to do with your life and then set about doing it as it is extremely likely no one is going to hand you a career. As I tell my sons, “the dictionary is the only place where ‘success’ comes before ‘work’”!

This is because you do not know yourself very well yet. You've spent the majority of your life doing the 9-3pm in school.

I went to college straight out of high school. Freshman year I was totally going to become a college prof with a phd. Two years into college I realized I did not want the life of an academic. There were other things I wanted to do with my life day in and day out.

If you feel as though you are aimless right now don't do the 4 year university.

Is living with your parents an option? If so I'd suggest a part time job and save the money per recommendations of the GRS blog and use your free time to volunteer. I don't know if you live in a city but there are many opportunities to volunteer in a myriad of different fields: social work, forestry, business, fund raising, health, politics, law enforcement.

Use your youth to explore instead of locking yourself into something so early on. Which brings me to: Birth Control. As soon as you have a child Player01's life is no longer about him/herself, it is now about Player01's offspring. Children are wonderful people but be careful not to have them too early into your adulthood. ...unless you like that sort of thing.

I also encourage you to actually go and explore - travel. Work in Alaska for a summer, all kinds of seasonal work up there. Work a summer job in your home town and spend some of the winter south of the equator [you'll have to save your money]. There are also plenty of destination summer work in the lower 48 also. Mt. Rainer in WA, rafting on the Colorado river to name a couple.

If there are people who are telling you that you need to settle down, tell them that you just now started to look around (I can't seem to find the Modest Mouse song that line comes from).

Well, you are still too young... so don't force yourself to take decisions. Have you heard of aptitude tests? Is there any place where you can get an aptitude test? The results tell you what you have an "aptitude" for, and you can sort of chalk out a plan based on those results.

Forgive me TurtleDollars, but I could not resist:

http://www.unnecessaryquotes.com/

What do you daydream about? Now brainstorm 10 ways you could make money by doing what you daydream about. Some ideas may be completely crazy...or so you think.Google those ten ideas, and see how other people are making money from them.

And remember, your passion does not have to be your job or your money-maker, especially early on in life. A job is to earn money, learn new skills, exposure to new things,and to learn what you [b]don't[b] want to do for the rest of your life. A passion is to enjoy at your own pace, to meet new people, and to make those long workdays a quick memory!