If you're ambitious but lost, watch this video

A few days ago, I was streaming when a viewer asked me, Hey Gohar, I'm an 8th grader torn between becoming a vet or a musician. What should I do? I was very surprised. Part of me thought this message was endearing. Here we have a really young person thinking about their future. But part of me was also shocked. Here we have a really young person thinking about their future. Deciding what you want to become in life is intimidating. You know you have lofty goals and ambitions. You know you want to be successful and happy. But how? And by doing what? Whether you're in 6th grade or a senior in college, my goal with this video is to provide you with some clarity on how to navigate your future, figure out what you love, and succeed. This is advice for people who are ambitious but lost. Tip number one, extend your horizon. When I was in 8th grade, one of the school counselors came to my English class and made everyone do a career exercise. We had to complete a short quiz and determine three potential career choices. I don't remember any of my three choices. But I guarantee you that becoming a YouTuber was not one of them. If you're below 9th grade, don't worry about what you need to do with your life. Sure, maybe think about it, talk about it with your friends, family, and teachers. But don't feel like you need an answer. And for my older viewers, this advice might apply to you as well. Although you'll start thinking about majors in high school, you won't have to declare your major until freshman or even sophomore year at most colleges. You have far more time than you think. I saw this firsthand with one of my closest friends at MIT, who didn't decide his major until the day he had to declare it. He had taken a bunch of computer science, biology, and mechanical engineering courses, but couldn't figure out what he enjoyed most. On decision day, he chose biomedical engineering, but ended up changing his major twice. Fortunately, today he's found his calling, software engineering. He works for a small tech startup and absolutely loves his job. Though I guarantee you he didn't expect it. It took not only high school and college, but also some time after college for him to discover what he wanted to do. So if this MIT student couldn't foresee his future while in college, why are you putting undue pressure on yourself to figure it out while in high school? I think the younger generation today has a skewed perception of success, largely because of what we see on social media. We feel like it needs to happen while we're young, and we feel like it needs to happen fast. Hence this pressure to choose the perfect major and career. But here's one secret they don't tell you when you're younger. It's never too late to find success. If your life trajectory truly hinged on this single decision you make at 18, 19, or 20 years old, life would be a sad reality. Luckily, for those of you who think that is the reality, I have a few counterexamples. Stanley created Spider-Man at 39 years old. Samuel Jackson became a Hollywood star at 46 years old after his big break in Pulp Fiction. I still gotta watch that movie, by the way. If you extend your time horizon, you can find comfort in where you are right now, trusting that your ambition will get you exactly where you need to be. Remember, success is not a destination, it's a journey. Tip number two, perfect is an illusion. Do you chase your money or do you chase your passion? It always feels like these two are at odds. Let's take the career of investment banking as an example. As an entry-level analyst, you're working 80 to 100 hours a week on super demanding projects. You barely have time on the weekends, you're always on the clock, but you're raking in a cool 100K a year with a large potential bonus. Let me tell you, very few people are naturally passionate about financial modeling or creating pitch decks. Yet the salary, prestige, and huge potential upside of IB lures in thousands of fresh college grads each year. And now on the other end of the spectrum, let's consider the aspiring actor who moves to New York City to pursue their dream of Broadway. They forgo these high-paying jobs in a high-cost location and instead have to work several jobs to make ends meet. Some may say that because this person is doing what they love, they're better off than the investment banker. Others may say the investment banker is better off because they're saving more money for the future. The point is, no path is perfect. I'm sure we all have our own selection criteria for what we want to study or what career we want to pursue. But rarely will you find an option that checks every single box. In this example here, we're only looking at money versus passion. But when the time comes, you'll also be considering work-life balance, your values, parental approval, and much more. Everything has its pros and cons, and it is up to you to decide which factors are more important than others. Which leads me to a little framework I love to use in these sorts of scenarios. The weighted decision matrix. This is a decision-making tool that you can use in almost every area of your life. From choosing a career, to choosing a college, to choosing what you should eat for dinner. Though I wouldn't recommend using it for that. Using it is simple. First, list out the factors that'll play into your decision. For example, if you're choosing a major, the factors could be difficulty, post-grad options, stability, fun. Then list out the options you're considering. For example, biology, computer science, mechanical engineering, and astronomy. Then give each factor a weight from 1 to 10 based on importance. For example, if fun isn't that important to you, maybe you'll give it a 4. Whereas if post-grad opportunities are critical to you, you'll give it a 10. Now rate each of your options from 1 to 10 on every factor. For example, if computer science is really fun for you, you'll give that a 9. Finally, multiply each score by its weight and sum the totals for each option. The highest total suggests the best choice. But what if all this sounds too overwhelming? Shouldn't you let your heart guide what you want to do in the future, not a bunch of mathematical formulas? And that's totally fair. That's why I was super excited Study Hall approached me to sponsor this video. If y'all don't know, Study Hall was co-founded by Hank Green, an absolute YouTube legend. Hank, if you're watching this, I just want you to know that you helped me ace so many of my biology exams. Study Hall is paving a new and affordable path to higher education. The problem with the current system is that you have to choose a major, enroll in a bunch of classes, and pay thousands of dollars before you can judge whether a certain major is right for you. But Study Hall removes that risk. Their YouTube channel currently has over 10 free college courses, spanning subjects like psychology, world history, programming, math, and communications. Not only are the lessons super high quality and entertaining, but they let you feel out different subjects and determine what you might want to study in college. And here's the best part. If you enjoy a specific subject, you can enroll in an actual college course, even while you're in high school, for just $25. These courses are fully online, accredited, and led by ASU faculty. And if you're happy with your grade, you can unlock transferable college credits. The reason I partnered with Study Hall is because I genuinely believe in their mission. College is expensive. And look, is Study Hall completely free? No, but it's way cheaper than the traditional path and provides a sort of foam pit. Before you make the risky leap into college, you can practice with Study Hall and take a college class without financial risk. Plus, if within 10 days of starting a course, you change your mind, you can get a full refund of your $25. Now, I actually had the chance to chat with Hank Green himself and the ASU team about Study Hall. They are super responsive and eager to help students in their journey to college. So if you have any questions at all about their program, please drop them in the comments below. I'd be happy to forward your questions. Or you can learn more for yourself over at GoStudyHall.com. Huge thanks to them again for sponsoring this video. Tip number three, it's okay to prioritize money. I'm a first-generation student, meaning that neither of my parents went to college. Going to MIT wasn't just about getting some fancy degree from some fancy university. It was about carving out a new path for my family. But choosing to prioritize family and frankly, money is uncomfortable when you go to schools like these. Why? Because these schools pride themselves on their intellectual achievements. And rightfully so. Many graduates become pioneers in fields like biology, chemistry, physics, and computer science. MIT, for example, is affiliated with 105 Nobel laureates, 12 of which are current faculty. However, diving into academia, getting a PhD, and pursuing such intense research isn't a viable path for many students, especially for those who hail from backgrounds like mine. The average PhD stipend hovers around $20,000 to $30,000 per year, well below the average American salary. This is why many students instead opt for traditional industry jobs in fields like software engineering, consulting, and finance. I know it's uncomfortable to prioritize the money, but I believe that if you're a first-generation low-income student, it's an acceptable and even an admirable choice. And again, it was the exact choice that I made. My senior year of college, I was dead set on becoming a software engineer, which was until my YouTube channel started taking off. And that brings me to my next point. You'll change your mind, and that's okay. Coming to MIT, I fortunately knew what I wanted to study, but I wasn't sure what career I wanted to pursue. My freshman year, I learned about management consulting and envisioned myself working at a firm like McKinsey, BCG, or Bain. My sophomore year, I learned about product management and dreamed about working as a PM at Google. But during my junior year, I decided on software engineering, given my love for programming. So then how in the world did I become a YouTuber by senior year? COVID hit during my junior spring, after which I spent the next several months locked indoors. Out of quarantine boredom, I downloaded TikTok and started posting short form videos. My first dozen videos were completely unserious. It was a mix of memes, stories, and skits. But one of the videos revealed that I went to MIT, after which I received a flurry of questions in the comments. How did you get in? Do you have any advice? What were your stats? Quickly, I became a college admissions account and made dozens of videos talking about the admissions process. At around this time, my brother and I also co-founded NextAdmin, our admissions consulting firm. Thanks to your support, the accounts in the business grew to the point where I questioned the need for a traditional job. I made a complete 180 on my career right at the buzzer, but I am so grateful I did. So what's the takeaway? Your long-term decision isn't final. In the short term, yes, you'll have to choose a major and an industry. But in the long-term, life will present unexpected opportunities and experiences, exposing you to paths you never knew existed. If you're feeling this immense pressure to make the right choice, here's my advice. Just lean into something. For the sake of college applications, it helps if your application has a theme. But don't feel like this needs to be the thing you do. Be open-minded and give yourself the chance to explore during college, which brings me to my next point. You never know until you try. I want you to picture a computer science student in your head. Who do you see? Okay, now do the same with the business student. And finally, do the same with an art history student. The fact that we're all envisioning similar people is an issue. Society has ingrained these archetypes in our heads, discouraging us from pursuing majors we feel we don't align with. Someone who feels that they don't look, act, or talk like a computer science student might feel that CS isn't for them, so they don't even give it a try. As you explore what you want to do with your life, don't let these stereotypes cloud your perception. What you often see in media or memes are caricatures. Plenty of students defy their traditional mold in any and every single field. As such, you need to figure out for yourself whether you resonate with a particular subject. If you're young, I encourage you to dabble in two to three different areas to see what you like most. How long you dabble in each field for and what that will look like will vary by subject. But here are a few examples. You can dabble in computer science by building a simple website or app, trying lead code problems, or even watching free computer science lectures on a platform like MIT OpenCourseWare. And of course, you also have Study Hall's programming course, which is also an option. You can dabble in business by learning basic data analysis and turning at a startup or, of course, trying to start your own. And if you want to dabble in English or writing, you can spend this summer reading classic literature, writing short stories, or even starting a blog. Those who know know. What's most important here is that you extend beyond your comfort zone. Yes, try what interests you, but also look into subjects you would have never considered, the subjects that you think are scary, complex, or even boring. The younger you begin this search, the better off you'll be, as you can maximize your surface area. You have more time to explore a wide array of options before ruling anything out. Which brings me to my final piece of advice. It's your decision. This one sounds a bit selfish, I know. And unfortunately, I also know it's not a privilege all of us get to enjoy. Some of us have parents who have been pushing us towards a specific career path since the day we were born, leaving us with little say over our futures. Similarly, we may have friends and teachers who are encouraging us to choose a specific field. Look, my point here isn't to tell you to disrespect your parents. I'm sure they have your best interests at heart, even if it's at odds with your passions. But rather, my point is that you should wield however much control you can over this pivotal life decision. Your parents, yes, they're people you have to listen to and maybe negotiate with. But your friends, your teachers, that random family friend, I'm sure they have plenty of thoughts about what's best for you. And although they're people whose opinions you should certainly respect, you need to let your own take precedence. What do you think is best for you? What can you envision yourself studying? What career path do you think aligns with your values and passions? As you answer these questions and sift through others' opinions, I recommend you peel back the emotional veil. People love to form strong, emotionally charged opinions. Computer science? Oh, the market is brutal. You're never ever going to find a job. Finance? Literally everyone in that industry works 120 hours a week. Don't let these sorts of dramatic remarks sway you right away. However, don't ignore them either. Behind that veil of exaggeration is probably some truth that you should consider. For example, if someone tells you that you're never going to find a job, they just mean that the field is competitive. Cool, look, we're into that. How hard is it actually? If someone tells you that you'll work 120 hours a week, they're surely exaggerating, but also just trying to alert you of the tough work-life balance. Again, do your research and figure out for yourself what the actual hours look like and whether that aligns with the lifestyle you want. Your final decision should be rooted in your own research and analysis. And now that we've gone through this video, I want you to analyze how you feel, and leave a like and subscribe if this has helped you. And if you haven't already, come join my Discord server. We have channels dedicated just to college prep. Thanks for watching, everyone. Remember to check out Study Hall, and I'll see you again next week.