I was in Vegas this past weekend and was just sitting around with some friends joking and talking and drinking and just having a great time when one person actually asked a serious question: Being almost 28, where are we in our lives with our goals and life plans and whether we had accomplished any goals we set out when we were younger... Now the question immediately got dismissed by the group because 1. It was almost 4AM and 2. Majority of the group didn't seem to want to have serious discussions being completely sober in Vegas. However, I sat there and really thought about the question and tried to answer it for myself...
I certainly did have a checklist of goals I set out for myself when I was younger. It ranged anywhere from academic goals such as GPA or college to relationship goals such as the girl I date has to be this way or that way to career goals such as what I'd like to do or how much I thought I should be making... And when I felt like I was able to cross almost everything off that list at a certain age mark, I realized I was probably at the most miserable time in my life... Granted, maybe it was my approach in going about reaching the goals but still, I feel like we are so focused on goals and lists and numbers that we sometimes lose track of what's most important. I know that certainly has been the case for me and I've been learning and realizing as I go along...
To make the long answer as short as possible: At some point, I felt like I was very good at accomplishing the goals I had set out for myself. It was only later that I realized focusing too much on them and approaching it the way I did made me miserable and accomplishing the goals certainly didn't bring me any joy... Now, I choose to focus on today's list and this week's list rather than think much about goals and plans.
I haven't slept in over 60 hours. This entry probably makes absolutely no sense but there's no way I'm proofreading or giving this much more thought right now! :D
I think you are, perhaps, undervaluing what you have accomplished... which is a lot, even for ambitious people. You have a stellar job in one of the worst economies... and in a state that's been hit so hard that Gov.Terminator wants to implement value-added taxes~ whateva that is!!! Anywho, 3 bachelor's degrees from UC Berkeley, is to me, and to a shit-ton of people... ridiculously out of reach, and enough to garner a personal lifetime achievement award. I think you just need to give yourself a GOLD STAR, and learn how to gloat a little. Geez, let's take it back to the Roman days.
ReplyDeleteAnd I also want to compliment you on your introspect. It's something I do so much, I just feel ridiculously full of myself. But, frankly, I think constant introspect (if you do it right, lol) is the fastest & most effective way of getting where you want to be as a person (hahaha hasn't worked out academically for me, but socially, yes... I am building situations I actually want to be in!).
I adore you, Mr. Blogger. And am glad to see that you are aware and looking to go where you want to be, and ironically by slowing it down.
Or at least by focusing on the here & now... which ironically is the problem with voters.
Completely, off topic... Explain this to me over the phone sometime, yea? After Tuesday lol. http://www.economist.com/world/united-states/displaystory.cfm?story_id=16163436
Thank you for your words. I didn't mean to sound like I'm selling everything I did short or out to downplay other peoples' accomplishments. I meant to make this the bigger point: All accomplishments and checklist and goals aside, I'm no happier now than before, without them... I believe I would be just as happy with another job, 3 less degrees, etc etc as long as I still have my friends and mom, as they are now.
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