“I’ve done what I needed to do. Now I’ll do what I want to do.”
My friend, Daniel, and I were reflecting on how life shifts after decades of striving and achieving. It was one of those catch-up conversations, where we shared stories about life, work, and the twists and turns in between. At one point, with a kind of quiet clarity, he said: “I’ve done what I needed to do. Now I’ll do what I want to do,” and it landed like truth often does, quiet but undeniable.
We all go through seasons where we focus on what’s needed. We do what has to be done. We show up. We deliver. We meet expectations.
We fill our lives with boxes to be checked off on our to-do lists. We run, we hustle, we keep moving forward nonstop, as if we're in a race to a constantly moving finish line.
Sometimes we do this out of a sense of responsibility. Sometimes out of survival. Sometimes simply because it’s what we’ve always done.
But then comes a moment, subtle yet powerful, when something shifts. Maybe it’s an inner nudge. Maybe life closes a door on us or makes us stumble. Either way, we pause. We look around. And if we're honest, we might notice: In doing everything we were supposed to do, we’ve left parts of ourselves behind.
Our joy. Our creativity. Our desires. Our truth.
That moment? It’s not a breakdown. It’s not always a dramatic turning point, either. It’s a quiet invitation back to authenticity.
It’s the start of deeper questions: What feels right for me now? What do I want?
Not out of obligation. Not to prove anything. Not to meet expectations.
But from a place of alignment. Of truth. Of being you.
As a Coach, I’ve witnessed this shift in others, and I’ve lived it myself. It’s not about abandoning our responsibilities. It’s about bringing ourselves into them.
It’s about reclaiming the parts of ourselves that don’t fit on a checklist, but are essential to feeling whole, happy, and at peace with who we are. It’s about letting our wants speak louder than our shoulds. It’s about honoring the part of us that’s been waiting—patiently—to come forward.
Not because we have to. Because now we want to.
If you’ve felt that moment stirring inside you, listen to it. It’s the voice of alignment. Of clarity. It’s you knocking on your own door.
Doing what you want to do, when it’s rooted in who you truly are, isn’t selfish. It’s honest. It’s powerful. And it’s deeply human.
Give yourself permission to listen to the want. There’s wisdom in it. There’s life in it.
So maybe today is the day you take one small step toward what you want. Say yes to something that excites you. Say no to something that drains you. Revisit a dream. Speak your truth. It doesn’t have to be big or bold, it just has to be yours.
