How do I make a decision?

[paradiseengineering]

Hi there, hope you have a wonderful day.

24 y/o male from Norway here. For the last month, I have been feeling very ambivalent about a decision and it is very emotionally draining.

I have been living in a smaller city called Trondheim for 3 years, where I now finished my bachelor in musicology. I have the option of going there another year, and then i will have a bachelor in music technology also. This will qualify me for having the option to apply for a masters in music technology in Oslo. The catch is that Trondheim is really small and I feel like the same things are happening all the time. There is not much more to gain for me as a musician here (beside a school degree).

The other option is just to move to Oslo now. I have a place to stay here, but i know very few people and i have no idea on what to do, beside getting a job. There is a lot of new stuff to potentially explore here, and people that are making a living of music (which is my dream). I have some success with my music, but I dont make a lot of money from it yet. My biggest dream is to make a living of creative projects, and I dont see how a degree would get me there.

Education is free in Norway, and it will give me a lot of time to do music, even if I live in a place that isnt filled with so many other opportunities. On the other side, I dont see how having a bachelor/ masters in music technology would get me a job in such a field. I feel this constant pressure to do something big with my life, and im also getting older.

I know its a decision i have to make for myself, but I would like to hear a non-biased view from people that arent friends/ family. Thanks for reading.

[paradiseengineering]

1 hour ago, John Lula said:

Trondheim is awesome though. But I get what you mean. If I were you I would follow the opportunities. Go to Oslo. You'll make new friends, and that can also introduce you to different opportunities in your chosen field.

The best thing is to deeply contemplate this decision for yourself. Does it really matter what you do? How does it matter? What do I want to do? This will lead you to walk your own path and move in the world with a conscious orientation, instead of a reactive, responsive one.

It sounds like your in a good position when it comes to music, you have achieved a bachelor education! I don't know much about your industry, but I suppose that 3 years have developed a certain competency that is valuable for some organizations or people in society.

Thanks for your response John! 

Cool to hear that you know about Trondheim. I just have had the best 3 years of my life there. I agree Oslo seems like the right decision in most ways, but when over thinking it, it all feel so helpless. I know very few people in Oslo, but they all do music tho, and that is a good thing. My degree does not mean that much really for getting a job, but taking another bachelor in music technology in one year doesn't either. I have never had a full time job, and there is a lot of new stuff. Its a big scary world out there, but i know it´s better to go through it now than later.

The thing you said about finding a social group here is super important tho. And the contemplation is something that i really should look into.

Thanks for the comment, it actually made me feel a lot more peaceful

[klaus]

You are having an interesting challenge, but you are almost there because you are asking a good question. Your brain will find an answer, it always will. If it is right or wrong is another question. It just needs to be appropriate for you.

‘We can not solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them’ by Albert Einstein

Here I shared some further thoughts about this.

Vital and happy regards
Klaus

[EspenCeption]

It sounds like you want to move to Oslo, so I say do it!

If you do move here and you're looking for friends I would love to meet you over a coffee.

 

Wish you the best of luck in your decision!

Edited January 5, 2020 by EspenCeption

[-Rowan]

If doing a Masters in Oslo provides you with more tangible skills to make money from music and also some free time to further think about and plan your career, then I'd say do it, especially since it is free!

 

Sincerely,

A guy who got a First in Music Technology in the U.K (Not Free) and wants to visit Norway  

[Michael569]

You can do visualisation on both options. Sit in peaceful meditation and when you feel you are well relaxed, start visualising yourself taking the first option and going all the way through. Make it as vivid as possible. Then you do the same for the other. 

While many things cannot be foreseen you can already assess some challenges of your potential decisions. Make your visualisation realistic and look at everything. Where are you going to live? How much will you pay? What will you do? Where will you shop for groceries? What are you going to study? Visualise yourself in classes. As you do this observe any feelings and sensations associated with both journeys. Which ones seems to be calling you more? What does your intuition tell you? 

Alternatively, you can start backwards. Imagine yourself in the position you want to achieve and then start backtracing your step. 

I know this sounds a bit woo woo but I've done something similar in the past when making some decisions and it has helped me muster confidence I needed to make these decisions. 

 

Edited January 7, 2020 by Michael569