Life often throws more opportunities at us than we can fathom. Beyond the must-haves and good-to-haves, that devil on our shoulders is whispering into our ears: you should do more. Burnout will be your companion if you listen. As Sigmund Freud argues in his essay on transcience, what gives life meaning is the fleeting nature of things.
This is not a purely philosophical problem for those sentenced to imprisonment in the ivory tower of abstraction. It matters when deciding what you do in your life. I am not the first to think about this—great past and present thinkers provide insights on what to do.
Only do it if you can't not do it
Despite abusing the English language, the above phrase should be taken to heart. If you cannot get rid of the idea, if it resurfaces from your subconscious, you better not ignore it. Rule of thumb: the persistence of the idea acts as a filter, hopefully alluding to your strengths.
Let creativity guide you.
In How to Do Great Work, Paul Graham provides a blueprint for excellence. He is not sparing words to emphasize the role of curiosity. To find the path to curiosity, follow Kevin Kelly's advice:
Do more of what looks like work to others but is play for you.
Creativity is essential for science: it nudges us to explore the frontiers of knowledge and poke below the stones. Amazing things can be found there.
Work on things that only you can do.
This advice also comes from Kevin Kelly. To unleash your potential, avoid, delegate, or eliminate tasks someone else could do.
A corollary
Following your inner compass is alluring but can be deceptive. Your cognitive biases are the proof that to err is definitely human. Seeking feedback from your peers and mentors is paramount, but so is the realization that progress is nonlinear and consistent hard work cannot be avoided. Before producing a masterpiece, you must tear up your canvas many times.
Still cannot decide?
If you struggle between two options, there is an ingenious heuristic to help you.
Take a coin, assing sides, then flip it. While it is in the air, you might feel a pull towards one option. Go with that.