Let’s get one thing straight: I’m not trying to become a potato who lounges in bed watching conspiracy theory videos all day (though, let’s be honest, that does sound kind of peaceful). I’m just rethinking what “success” even means—and I’m pretty sure the version we’re all chasing is kind of broken.
The Classic Success Starter Pack
You know the drill. Grow up. Go to school. Get good grades. Land a job that pays well, even if it slowly melts your soul. Buy a car, buy a house, get married, have kids, retire, and then—only then—you can finally take a deep breath. But by then your back hurts, your knees sound like bubble wrap, and you can’t remember why you even wanted all this stuff in the first place.
This is the Success Starter Pack™ society handed us. And for a while, I bought into it. I sprinted after it like a cat chasing a laser pointer.
But somewhere along the way, I stopped and asked: Wait… why am I even chasing this?
The Hustle Culture Hangover
Don’t get me wrong. I admire people who hustle. But hustle culture? That thing that tells you to wake up at 5 AM, drink a green smoothie made of grass and regret, work 14 hours, then read 3 books before bed?
Yeah, no thanks.
I realized I was constantly chasing something, but never actually feeling there. No matter how much I achieved, it was like trying to high-five a cloud. Success kept moving the goalposts, and I kept running like a confused chicken in a maze.
Redefining What Matters
One day, it hit me: Maybe success isn’t about having the biggest paycheck, the fanciest job title, or an apartment that looks like an IKEA showroom. Maybe it’s about:
- Waking up without dread
- Doing work that doesn’t make me question my life choices
- Having time for people I love (or at least tolerate)
- Eating lunch without replying to 14 emails mid-bite
- Laughing at memes in peace
Basically, I wanted freedom, peace, and a little joy—not a trophy or a LinkedIn post that screams “LOOK AT ME I’M CRUSHING IT.”
What I Want Instead
I want slow mornings. I want conversations that don’t feel rushed. I want to read books that have nothing to do with productivity. I want to fail at something and not feel like it defines me. I want to build a life that feels good on the inside, even if it doesn’t look “impressive” on the outside.
And honestly? That feels way more radical than chasing the same worn-out dream everyone else is chasing.
Final Thought (Before You Go Back to Doomscrolling)
I’m not saying give up on your goals. I’m saying—make sure they’re actually YOUR goals. Not ones you inherited from society, or your cousin who’s always “killing it” on Instagram.
Because the real flex isn’t how successful you look.
It’s how peaceful you feel.
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