Supposed to be highly successful, in the conventional sense.
On Insta, this person describes herself as entrepreneur, managing X companies, etc etc.
The pictures are about her great life. Happy pictures going out with kids, eating with friend, interviews by news about her biz, etc...
Behind the scenes. I know she's popping pills for depression. Easily agitated, low self esteem, highly stressed about others' expectations of her and her own expectations of herself, tense environment in the household.
Personally, I feel this person keeps trying to "run away", trying to keep herself immersed in other things. Like binging on Netflix, or signing up for yoga classes, tennis classes, etc. Just keeps trying to distract herself from her other issues.
And I ask myself....
So is she successful?
Different people, different answer.
To some people, they say it's better to be crying sitting in a limo, then smiling on a bicycle.
So some people will think it's ok to be unhappy, unhealthy for money, etc.
Diff people willing to make diff trade offs.
For me, I tend to think about someone like Anthony Bourdain.
I ask myself. What good is millions of dollars when he's dead?
He had issues. No doubt. He wasn't able to handle/manage his issues.
Conventional success, money... in the end, wasn't important.
So let's not put the cart before the horse.
It's like... live to eat, or eat to live... Both are fine, but we need to KNOW. Why are we eating?
If you eat cos it's fun and you live to eat, then that's great.
If you don't enjoy eating, that's fine too. One can find happiness in other things.
But we need to know why we are doing it.
So if we are successful with work, career, money, etc... and we aren't happy with our lives.
Is it worth it? What's the point?
The answer is something else. The problem is something else.
A lot of times, people run away from the problem. They lie to themselves.
It's like trying to fix the fridge by dismantling the washing machine.
They think they need more money, or they need more success, more respect by others, they buy more fun activities or products in the hopes that the activities will make them happier.
Ok, let's not talk about poor/low income people. That's an entirely different matter.
Poor/low income people have no choice. They are limited in options to make changes in their lives.
I'm referring to folks who have options. They can make decisions to change their lives to make things better. And yet, a lot of times they choose not to.
I talked to the person in the above story.
We discussed the issues and what could be done to make her life better.
Her answer... "No, I'm not like that one. I cannot do... That's not me."
Ok... end of story. Nothing left to discuss liao.
We've all that that discussion before. Especially in early retirement blogs...
If you say you cannot do. Then you cannot do lor.
The point of this post is pretty much...
Well, do you understand why you are working? You will have your own answer.
Are you lying to yourself? Your choice.
Is it worth it?
Success, happiness, money, career...
What leads to what?
Which is the reason for which? Also your own choice.
Make sure it's worth it.
Else there's no point.
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