For young people
I don't know what I want to do after school. Is that normal?
Yes, it is completely normal, and it doesn't mean you are falling behind. You don't find your path in one big decision; you build it by trying small things and noticing what you enjoy.
Run a tiny experiment
Instead of trying to plan your whole future, try something small:
- Talk to someone about their job
- Join a club or team
- Look into a course
- Learn a skill online
- Volunteer somewhere
The goal isn't the perfect answer. It's learning something about yourself.
Pick what you'd work hard at
Hard work matters, but it works best when it's pointed at something you actually care about. Pushing through something you don't enjoy usually ends in burnout.
Talk to someone a few steps ahead
Find someone studying the course or doing the job you're curious about and ask one real question, like "How did you get started?" One conversation can save months of guessing.
From Chapter 1, "You Are Not Behind", and Chapter 11, "You Make Your Own Path".
Quick answers
Is a gap year, trade or job instead of uni OK?
Yes. The book treats every path as valid.
What if I pick wrong?
Most people change direction at some point. Each step teaches you something.
Related questions
Why people trust Start Where You Are
- Written by Ash Manuel, a former PE teacher and founder of Growing With Gratitude, which has reached more than 1 million young people across 1,205 schools in 80 countries.
- Foreword by Dr Phil Cummins of the University of Sydney and the Sydney Character Initiative.
- Shaped by conversations with young people about what they actually wanted from a book like this.
- Published by Amba Press and featured on 9News Adelaide.