The Pressure of Being Great

Thesis: Trying to be great makes you miserable.

Given:

1. People in your environment and coaches telling you you can achieve everything you want.
2. A belief that you are extraordinary -> you have to do great things.

Variable:

1. What does it mean to be great?

I keep going back to the place in life where I don’t know what to do next.

I am following the premise that I am so amazing and I can do everything I want. The problem is if I can do anything what should I actually do to be great and have a great life?

I am trying different things, constantly searching for new.

I fail fast.

I succeed in some.

I re-consider and challenge my worldview and ideas.

I grow as a person.

Yet, nothing sticks. I keep trying and trying. Working for a corporation, yoga, writing, meditation, volunteering, starting an NGO, beginning after-graduate studies, reading, podcasting, traveling, taking photos, working for a local company, traveling some more, painting, doing improv, etc.

Every time I feel like I found something I would want to commit to, I find something more interesting/better paid/more fun/just else that I want to do.

And I should pursue it, right? Because then I will have a better life, a greater life that I deserve.

I do believe I deserve a great life, but it probably isn’t always looking for the next thing or always looking for a new opportunity. I start to realize that you find greatness in commitment. Even if it’s not glamorous.

Being a librarian for 50 years, that achieves no economical success or prestige in her life, might be greater than being on top wealthiest people list.

I don’t even know why am I writing this. Maybe so I would remember myself.

Conclusion:

The thesis is correct. I don’t need to be “great”. Neither do you.