Your hero isn't happy

Dear Youngsters,

I have a message to deliver to you. And yes I did just call you a youngster.

I have no idea how old you are but I do know this message should resonate with you. No matter your age.

The people you look up to, the people who are in the places you want to be, the people 2-5 years ahead of you, are all lost. They are all trying to figure things out. Trying to understand what the next step is.

Because it never ends. As an ambitious person, you are always looking at where you should be going next and the best way to get there. You see the ‘successful’ people who have gone before you and just wish that you could be in their shoes. If only you had what they had then all your problems would be solved. It’s a lie we all tell ourselves.

And we know it’s a lie. Because you were once dreaming of being where you are right now. Saying if only I… had that job, was on that team, had this skill, and went to this school… then all my problems would be solved.

And if you ever achieved that goal, I know you were so happy. But I also know that happiness fades as you start to readjust to your ‘new normal’ and shift your focus to the next step.

It’s the double-sided sword of ambition.

We all feel it. Even the people you look up to. It’s never enough. There’s always another step.

But this isn’t me telling you to curb your ambition and not look up to people who have achieved what you want to achieve.

My message here is to remember how far you’ve come and understand that no ambition will ever be your last.

So next time you find yourself imagining how everything would be perfect if you could just hit that goal. Remember all the goals you hit before and appreciate where they have gotten you.