I see a couple comments to the effect that you should find something that you like to do, and that's good -- liking things is generally easier than not liking them.
But to me that doesn't go far enough, and ignores a deeper question: what do you believe in? Like, in life? What are your values, your principles? This may be a bit dark, but if you died tomorrow and could witness your own funeral, how do you wish the people who know and love you to describe how you lived your life?
The things we do can be connected very deeply to the things we believe (to crudely paraphrase Bob Dylan: the things we "serve"). In my view, human beings have a higher probability of flourishing and overall contentment when they are connected. Conversely, when they're not -- when what we do doesn't serve what we believe, or when it goes against what we believe -- our species risks a lot of trouble.
So, my two cents: if you know your own values, come back to them concretely (write'em down, for instance). If you don't know them, or haven't ever articulated them very clearly, do so. But once you've got them nice and clear, find work (a career or not, just small-w work) that serves them. It's not a cure-all, by any means. Just consider them a little talisman and use them like that.
On the one hand, you may never end up a millionaire. But on the other, you'll never again spend much time in places like the one you're currently in.
Edit / addendum: this'll be cliche, and I'm sure you've heard it, but I say it anyway: take the time to develop a relationship with a good psychotherapist. Not even necessarily for your "symptoms", whatever those might be, but for the broader existential stuff.
But to me that doesn't go far enough, and ignores a deeper question: what do you believe in? Like, in life? What are your values, your principles? This may be a bit dark, but if you died tomorrow and could witness your own funeral, how do you wish the people who know and love you to describe how you lived your life?
The things we do can be connected very deeply to the things we believe (to crudely paraphrase Bob Dylan: the things we "serve"). In my view, human beings have a higher probability of flourishing and overall contentment when they are connected. Conversely, when they're not -- when what we do doesn't serve what we believe, or when it goes against what we believe -- our species risks a lot of trouble.
So, my two cents: if you know your own values, come back to them concretely (write'em down, for instance). If you don't know them, or haven't ever articulated them very clearly, do so. But once you've got them nice and clear, find work (a career or not, just small-w work) that serves them. It's not a cure-all, by any means. Just consider them a little talisman and use them like that.
On the one hand, you may never end up a millionaire. But on the other, you'll never again spend much time in places like the one you're currently in.
Edit / addendum: this'll be cliche, and I'm sure you've heard it, but I say it anyway: take the time to develop a relationship with a good psychotherapist. Not even necessarily for your "symptoms", whatever those might be, but for the broader existential stuff.