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How do you measure your success? Is it by how much money you make? The clothes you wear? The car you drive?
What about the success of others? Stop for a second and think about who your friends are. Do they determine how successful you are? Have you neglected your childhood friends for your new country club friends? If he/she isn’t dressed nice then certainly they can add no value to your life, right?
I watched this video on Friday. (h/t Carlos) And then I promptly watched it again.
This was one of my favorite quotes:
Most people make a strict correlation between how much time and love and respect they’re willing to accord us based on our position in the social hierarchy. That’s why we care so much about our careers.
Admit it you’re guilty.
Just the other day I was telling someone, “You know. I’m really frugal, I don’t need much money to maintain my lifestyle, it’s just that if THEY’RE (my peers) making it, I want it.”
Kinda shitty. Really honest.
The point is it’s time to redefine they way we think about our careers, and it’s critical we refrain from judging others based on theirs.
What if you had all the money in the world and never had to work another day in your life. What would you be doing?
On the flip side, it's also quality. You may spend 4 hours of your valuable time, but if you're not tuned in then a 30 minute meeting is much more valuable.
I think you can apply corporate life to personal life - there's plenty of time to do things - there needs to be an importance. Do you want it enough?
"You know. I’m really frugal, I don’t need much money to maintain my lifestyle, it’s just that if THEY’RE (my peers) making it, I want it.”
I read an article about shopping loyalty cards that talked about this kind of psychology. Loyalty cards work, not because people get good discounts, but because people can't stand the idea that OTHERS are getting discounts when they aren't.
And yes, I have loyalty cards for all the stores where I shop. :)
I was just thinking about that the other day (stop judging other people for their career choice) when a friend of my cousins, who is about 35, told me that he works as a pepsi truck driver. The first thought that popped in my head was "Really, you are 35 and you are still just driving a delivery truck?" Who am I to judge, he may love his job! You make a very good point Ryan! Thanks
My father is a doctor, hence most of our family-friends are doctors. One of them finally retired and decided to drive trucks for the rest of his life because it was "what he always wanted to do." Had he pursued his truck-driving dream from the beginning, I don't think he'd really be as "successful" as he is now.
It's important for people to do what they love to do, but even more important for people to know what their full potential is first. Success obviously cannot be quantified by how many toys you have, but it also cannot be measured by your own personal happiness either.
When viewed by others, I believe that success has everything to do with how your life positively effects those around you, whether it's a patient, client, friends, family, etc... For one's own personal satisfaction in feeling/being successful, I believe it has to do with the options available at their disposal. For example, it's probably harder to become a doctor starting as a truck driver, than it is in the reverse scenario. The one with the most options & freedom is more "successful", in my opinion.
On a somewhat relevant note:
I think it's harmful for people to say, "Do what makes you happy!" because it is very simple-minded and short-sighted advice. Know yourself first, then do what makes you happy~ :P I'm rambling.
I had a similar conversation with a friend last night. I'm an aircraft mechanic (Go ahead! I know what you're thinking!) My friend is a nephrologist (kidney surgeon). He kids me that I'm "Dr. Jet," and quipped that the biggest difference in our jobs is that if he makes a mistake, one person dies. If I make a mistake, hundreds could die... yet he has all the prestige, and I'm looked down upon as a blue-collar worker.
People are shocked to find out I'm well-educated, and come from a respectable white-collar family. For some reason, everyone expects me to be a dumb grease monkey.
@ Mariah I do know several truck drivers that love their jobs. I know some who hate their jobs, but won't give up making 6 figures.
I fully agree with Eugene Yee, but the question is "how to know myself clearly", I am now in my late twenties, I am not sure what i will do next.
Instead of focusing on what I had done professionally in the past, I focused on what I wanted to do in the future. More...
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