The Paradox of Ambition and Contentment: Chasing What Really Matters
From childhood to adulthood, the goalposts of our desires and ambitions continuously shift. As a child, the vision of what we want to become is often straightforward—a doctor, a firefighter, an astronaut. These dreams aren't usually driven by what these professions can afford us but by the professions themselves. But as we age, our focus devolves. The allure of the profession gives way to its material or status value. Suddenly, the things that the profession buys—vacations, houses, cars, power—become the real ambitions. But why?
The Erosion of 'The Main Thing'
The love for the craft or the profession starts taking a backseat to what it can provide us. This phenomenon seems to happen to everyone, to different degrees. And while this shift from core to peripheral desires seems almost inevitable, I believe it can be controlled, at least partially, through awareness and introspection.
For some of us, what we do on a regular Tuesday is what we would want to do even on our final Tuesday. But this sense of fulfillment and alignment with such a day-to-day life is perceived as unambitious or complacent. Society presses us to keep pushing for the next milestone—marriage, children, new home, better job, etc. But why this relentless push? What if we are content with where we are and what we have?
The Unsustainable Happiness Equation
Yuval Noah Harari in his book 'Sapiens' suggests that happiness equals achievement minus expectation. The challenge with constantly achieving more is that it naturally inflates expectations. This means any increase in happiness is short-lived, as elevated expectations soon catch up. The other path to happiness, then, is to manage or lower our expectations, which society often interprets as settling for less.
What's Wrong with Contentment?
Expecting less doesn't mean a life without drive or aspiration. It just means we are closer to a state where we work and act because it's in our nature to do so, not because we are chasing some external reward. But society, built over centuries with a scarcity mindset, finds this hard to digest. It’s as if a content life is a wasted opportunity for more.
Philosophical Integrity in Everyday Life
Many of the world's ancient wisdoms preach the reduction or elimination of material desires for a more fulfilled life. However, these philosophies are often shelved for later in life, or considered irrelevant in the materialistic world of careers and societal advancements. This dissonance between our actions and our supposed beliefs is not just intellectually dishonest; it's setting us up for a lifetime of chasing mirages.
The Road Less Traveled
So, what's the way out of this conundrum? It might lie in allowing ourselves the freedom to be content and to let that guide our actions and decisions. Instead of running in the never-ending rat race that promises happiness but never quite delivers, maybe we can walk a more considered path that aligns with who we truly are and what we genuinely value.
We might be living in an age of abundance, but our mindset often remains rooted in scarcity. It's high time we question this narrative. After all, what's the point of chasing happiness if we can never pause long enough to enjoy it?