You are not special. And you have to accept that it is absolutely ok. You do not have to be the best, the funniest, the most successful - your achievements do not validate your worth, your failures do not invalidate your capability.
Being a big part of someone's small life is better than being unimportant to many people.
Community, wherever you find it, is foundational to self-satisfacrion.
A better way to put it is: If only the best person at any one thing could be happy, there’d only be a thousand happy people in the world. Since there’s more than that, it means being the best at something isn’t a pass to happiness.
That's exactly it! Like I remember back in 2015, almost everyone who was into STEM in high school wanted to be like Elon Musk because they thought that would make them ultra rich and successful and extremely happy as a tech person/engineer, including myself unfortunately. And look where it all went... Just try to be happy for YOU! Of course you should have role models/idols but you should definately not put anyone on a pedestal! Just do your own thing at your own pace, in your own way, with your own ideas, following your own goals & innate compass. Only then can you truly find happiness, at least labour/careerwise.
This is pretty much exactly what I struggle with accepting. I worry that if I get to the end of life having never excelled at something or been the best then I will regret it. Appreciate your words
I was a big time digital marketer for years, always working harder and running the rat race. I had a YouTube channel, and I was part of the hustle culture. When I had twins, everything changed. My life shrank down, work and riches became unimportant, and I was surprised when it turned out to be ok.
6 years ago, I quit and became a teacher and I have never looked back. I make a little over half of what I did. I have to deal with all the teacher bullshit stuff. Sure, there are still hard days.
But, I'm part of a small community in a small Texas town, and I make more of a difference here than I ever did as a hot shot. I pickup and drop off my kids every day, I get to share a lifetime of experience with teenagers, I can laugh at work and not get scolded, and really, that's so much better than making some rich ass hole richer.
I get what you're trying to say. But the part about "where you find it" is crucial in understanding. Community does not mean the place you live, or where you grew up. Community is just a group you contribute, you are trusted and trust other, and most of all, where you are needed and find purpose.
This can be a job, a group, a neighborhood... Mine is with our school system as a mentor to kids.
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u/AncestorsDontLook 13h ago
You are not special. And you have to accept that it is absolutely ok. You do not have to be the best, the funniest, the most successful - your achievements do not validate your worth, your failures do not invalidate your capability.
Being a big part of someone's small life is better than being unimportant to many people.
Community, wherever you find it, is foundational to self-satisfacrion.