Not sure if it helps, but I can tell you what I would personally do if I was in your exact situation.
I would live cheaply, I would exercise and train and buy the requisite gear, and then at the next opportunity I would go hike the PCT.
I really want to do it, but with “settling down” on the horizon it looks unlikely that I’ll ever be able to do so.
Maybe you wouldn’t say “hike the PCT” but perhaps you can put yourself in my shoes for a moment and think - what would I regret not being able to do assuming I am settling down 5 or 10 years from now?
If I hadn’t already done so, my answer would have been “backpack around the world.”
I’m sure there are lots of big experiences you could devote some time to, that would in themselves give you the opportunity to gain clarity on what you want.
I would live cheaply, I would exercise and train and buy the requisite gear, and then at the next opportunity I would go hike the PCT.
I really want to do it, but with “settling down” on the horizon it looks unlikely that I’ll ever be able to do so.
Maybe you wouldn’t say “hike the PCT” but perhaps you can put yourself in my shoes for a moment and think - what would I regret not being able to do assuming I am settling down 5 or 10 years from now?
If I hadn’t already done so, my answer would have been “backpack around the world.”
I’m sure there are lots of big experiences you could devote some time to, that would in themselves give you the opportunity to gain clarity on what you want.