I have no idea what to do with my life

Try getting a kid.

Of course. You are at the stage of life when it is natural to inquire into the fundamental questions of life: Who am I? What am I? What am I here to do? What is the meaning of life? etc.

At that age, I was a successful studio musician. Like you, I found the prospect of continuing in that mode of life empty and distressing. Long story short, I found a guru and went to India to serve and learn from him.

Now in my mature years I derive great satisfaction, comfort and peace from what I learned and did. The great questions have been answered. There is no more fear or uncertainty in that regard. I now serve as a teacher for others, and they report similar experiences.

Sure there are lots of phonies in this business, but if you can find someone sincere, skilled and actually Self-realized, the benefits are unparalleled. Good luck.

Nobody has any idea, and that's OK. We're all "dying slowly", one day at a time. You'll get over it. Have some fun, you're still very young and ideas will come with time and experience.

You write that you've got decent economical success, but what about the social part? Did you manage to find 'your people'? Friends? People with whom you want to spend your time? Love interests?

This is not a first world problem it is the universal human problem of finding meaning in life. This question is the fuel that keeps religions running. There are myriad supposed answers and even more practitioners that would like you as a client and will promise the answers you seek. Use the motivation, time, and resources you have today to search for your own answers. Your mind and body should be as sharp as possible to allow you to take a path of strength rather than weakness, and to put it more simply, to be capable of resisting being taken advantage of. You'd be prudent to dial in your sleep, nutrition, and physical activity while you're in this phase. This won't last forever and you will end up with beliefs about the meaning (or meaninglessness) of life, so my advice is to put your thumb on the scale - by ensuring your body and mind are in good condition - and make it more likely you land on a personally empowered outlook.

The contemporary world can be very isolating. Realizing that it's a systemic problem instead of an individual one is the first step to figuring out how you might go about finding something that will be personally meaningful. You might consider learning about meditation or joining a local yoga studio since that can be a good way to develop meta-cognitive skills to deal with feelings of isolation. It won't solve the systemic problems, that requires large scale cooperation and political effort, but it will help you get through a rough patch and give you time to think how you might contribute to solving the larger systemic issues.

Don't look outside for purpose, try finding it within.

Which things do have intrinsic value to you? Think of things you do that give your joy which can not be replaced with money. Those things don't have to be static until eternity. The hardest is probably to not 'do' anything and just feel joy and gratefulness for the present moment, whatever it is.

Congrats on escaping the hamster wheel, good luck in facing the bigger challenges of being human!

Solo hobbies and solo work only go so far.

If you want to make an impact, nothing beats working with other people. Managing teams, starting a company with others, doing hobbies together.

Working with a team to solve a boring problem together can be more fulfilling than working alone to solve a complex problem. Don’t underestimate the value of the social component.

Did you invest your money?

Trying to get promotions all the time sucks away your life, but when I started looking at work as just a way to get enough money to invest, and building wealth as my primary goal, my life got much easier.

As the ,,what to do with my life'' part: it doesn't really matter, I just do random stuff like everybody else.

One mans suggestion. Get back to using your skills (for pay or volunteer) with real people. The first world has lots ills. Work in medical, legal, educational, environmental, or social service organizations as close as you can to where you can see real life difficulties. Inspiration may not be a fast discovery. It may require more that one environment before you find it. You have to move on if after a year or so if nothing come up.

I started making music. I picked guitar and electronic music production. It seems to be the nexus of all the things I found interesting in my life: creativity, esoteric knowledge, geometry and mathematics, language, technicality.

I never thought I’d go down the music path seriously but now it’s the only thing I can generate a sense of purpose from and I am enjoying it. Music is the perfect universal thing to unify all abstractions in life in a common core. It seems the ancients had this knowledge but over the years learning music became less and less mandatory and or important.

Music, I’ve come to learn, _is_ the universal language between all things and connects to everything in a very real way to such an extent it can show the relation between abstract models in a tangible way because it’s the bridge between realities. For instance color, geometry, frequency, scales, and ratios/celestial orbits. They all integrate (have in common with music).

Sentience etymologically is a Being which feels; to feel is to aware of vibrations from frequencies, music is the experience of integrating all the senses into one.

Just my thoughts and experience. Feel free to ignore.

We all are dying slowly doing meaningless things. The trick is not to pay attention.

You gotta keep looking around — without desperation, but with curiosity. Charity, chess, spying for New Zealand, exploring nudism and Rust — until you've tried everything it's too early to feel bored.

I'm clinically depressed / adhd, slowly finishing up my savings, and not sure if I'll be able to recover and start earning and enjoying life. Started posing at HN to not lose the ability to speak.

Don't be me. It starts with small things, and then entraps.

Socialize with positive people, care about your body, run like Phoebe from 'Friends', and never ever allow anyone — including yourself — to doubt you. Fuck everybody¹, enjoy everything.

———

¹ Metaphorically speaking.

Helping other people tends to give people purpose and exponential rewards.

You have a lot of free time, figure out a way to use your time, knowledge and resources to impact others in ways that really matter.

You've been out of school long enough to have a different perspective on it if you go back. You don't have to do a degree, in fact it's better to just bounce around the local CC or online courses doing one "fun" extracurricular at a time. Taking the class makes a little commitment and the structured environment gives it more weight so that you have a "thing to wake up to in the morning".

Some good courses to try that you probably missed while aiming for the software career: philosophy, the arts, history, physical sciences, shop classes, sports/dance/martial arts.

Ultimately the goal is to find the thing you can study forever, or some kind of stewardship role that you're comfortable with. When you solve a lower order of struggle in life that frees you up to work on a higher one. But you have to grow into that kind of thing. Life never really gets easy.

Consider working for a non-profit, or company with a mission that you feel strongly about. When you see the end result of your days labor bring good to some people, it can be quite fulfilling in a way that bringing home a FAANG paycheck can not be.

I mean, we're all dying either slowly or quickly

Try taking a break. Things have followed a fixed path for you, maybe a bit of meandering will help. Chase some new experiences. Youth is the best time to do it. And given that you have money it will be even better. Go climb the 8000 meter tall Himalayas, scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef, cross the Sahara desert. Do anything you want. Maybe a bit of adventure, maybe some relaxing in nature. I like remembering the lyrics of Pink floyds song "Breathe" when such thoughts cross my mind:

"Long you live and high you fly

Smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry

And all you touch and all you see

Is all your life will ever be"

I suggest seeing both a professional psychiatrist (medical doctor) and psychologist (therapist). These feelings and emotional states can quickly get out of control, and it's best to get a handle on them ASAP from professionals.

> I tried studying math, buying drones, microscopes, and lots of other side hobbies

I am not sure what else you've tried, but these are all technocratic activities. Try something that quite literally grounds you. I would suggest things along the lines of gardening (your own garden or as a volunteer) or volunteering at Habitat for Humanity or other volunteer opportunities or martial arts. Humans are not evolved to be surrounded by and inundated with modern technology. We are evolved to move, touch dirt, and use our mind, body, and senses as one. Find something that connects you with other people, where they may even depend on you, and also connects you with the ground and nature. Many places need volunteers for a variety of work, which can often be fulfilling and create situations where people depend on you, which will help create drive.

As someone who deeply struggles with the philosophical questions that arise out of living in this world, I find it is best not to dwell on things like purpose. Out of all the questions we have about the universe, how would "answers" even help? If someone were able to tell you your purpose, if such a thing could exist, how would it affect you or change things? A good thing to learn is being content. You are this being in this world, nothing more and nothing less, and so the best way to live your life is to live it and stop thinking about living it.

Find a fun way to waste it.

I feel the same way. In my case I have no love interest so I can at least pretend that that will help (it won’t). If you’re like me then it’s a near certainty that none of the suggestions here will help. I don’t have anything to offer. Im suffering with you. Alone.

I've been through a similar phase. Cutting down on the things you don't feel like doing is already a good first step.

Then, like many have commented already, it always helps to find a group of people to talk to and to do so some activities with them. It doesn't have to be an ongoing everyday intensive meetups, chatting, and activities. But finding people with whom you have common interests does help a lot in sparking ideas, inspiring you to figure new things out, challenging you to get out of your comfort zone, and eventually to figure know yourself better and what you like to do.

When I was in your situation, I was already on twitter, and my behavior reflected in a way where I was constantly picking fights with everyone. When I took a step back, and did some introspection, I noticed that I was being unnecessarily aggressive because I was frustrated.

So I changed the way I used twitter, and this helped me meet like minded people, some of whom I got the chance to meet in person, and many others with whom I connected virtually.

The opportunities are endless, and it doesn't have to be an in-person group. All it takes is to find what your interests are, and to look for other nice people who share the same interests as you. With time you'll grow, learn new things, and feel more satisfied. Hope this helps. Mucho ánimo.

I'm in a similar financial position, but a few years older and having the time of my life.

What works for me:

- I went to great lengths to reduce my computer time, and particularly mindless scrolling. I am also careful with video games and other time killers. These are fast food for the mind.

- I reintroduced idle time. I leave the internet out of the bedroom and enjoy quiet breakfasts on the balcony. This is where ideas take hold.

- I cook, I garden, I fix cars, I build stuff, I draw. Active or participative hobbies are absolutely essential. You gotta mold your world, not merely pass through it like a ghost.

- I explore a lot. I've explored most of my area on a bicycle, and most of Europe on a motorcycle. There's an endless world I've seen none percent of. I never regretted exploring more of it.

- I really sweat the small stuff. I try to make the ordinary things matter, and to appreciate the little rituals. I like fresh flowers, candlelight reading, tea time, sunset beer, bicycle picnics, fancy breakfasts and many other things. These are a good outlet for all your spare time.

I feel this from time to time. I found that I needed to separate pleasure, work and leisure. I do random stuff for pleasure, which does not lead to any meaningful result at work. But it makes me feel that I am learning something.

I work for money. I do not necessarily derive pleasure from work but it pays the bills. I try not to work at high pressure environments.

For leisure, I have friends who just like to chit-chat, relax and play some games or go on hikes. We rarely discuss work. I love that about my friend circle that I can totally disconnect from my personal problems and work pressure and just relax.

I think you need to take it easy on yourself and take a 2-4 weeks time off from everything. Relax and decide what is important for you.

Startup time.