We are always getting ready to live, but never living

Yeah, I read the title from Lifehacker too. It makes me wonder if I've fallen victim to this ...conjecture?
I'm putting my own perspective to it.

Somewhat ridiculous...but it seems that people don't know what to do with their life, but rather what not to do with their life. Very few people actually know what they want to make of themselves. I have asked a few of my friends, younger, and a few years older and they seem to give me very similar answers. I have a few that have told me they don't know, others tell me their plans and goals of what they want to do, not necessarily what they want from their life. We all want something from our life, unfortunately we don't know what that something is, and often times we get so caught up with life that we stop searching for it.

I'm no statistician...
I don't have any numbers, evidence, or data to back up my claim...statistics...is simply another form of illusion for man to reassure himself that what he believes is "logical", by backing it up with numerous numerical data. I observe people, social interactions, document my thoughts, my "findings" if you will, on society and its overall pattern. Yeah, I'm aware that my observations have its limitations in that it is full of biases. I don't think I ever really recall anyone that when asked what they want from their life that they could give me a confident, definitive answer. Perhaps they are too afraid to admit that they have no flipping clue what they want to do.


Throw Me A Lemon....Because I Need Something To Do...
People that don't know what they want to do with their life end up settling, more or less, for whatever life throws at them. This is not saying that these people do not have any dreams, goals, or ambitions of their own, but rather on their journey to reach these goals they get swept by other unexpected minor journeys that often times overshadow their original objective. In other words, we lose sight of our original purpose for
treading a particular path. The light at the end of the tunnel needs to be in sight, be conscious to make decisions so that it takes you step closer towards that light.

From Business Trip to Pleasure Trip....to Tangent Trip
So you initially have a business trip that you need to take. Of course when you take this business trip you also meet new people, see new faces, explore new places, and perhaps encounter a different set of social norms. You are someone full of ambitions, career goals, potential to further improve yourself. hat you didn't expect was that you would meet someone during this business trip of yours and the two of you exchanged contact information. Well, one thing leads to another  and before you know it the two of you are in constant communication. Now eventually, you two dated and then married. Ok, so that was unexpected, but love happens? Love finds you in the most unexpected places, so that tangent is semi-acceptable. However, once you are married and settle down, it becomes more difficult to fulfill one's original goals and purpose. I originally thought about this because of the film "The Other Man" starring Liam Neeson and Antonio Banderas.

I gave this quick and simplified example to show that often times we don't know what we want from life and thus often times just let tangents happen to us and we forget about our initially purpose.

Sources
http://lifehacker.com/5878626/we-are-always-getting-ready-to-live-but-never-living

"I intend to live forever, or die trying"

-The Social Nerd