Capitalism tells you progress is moral. Progress is achievement.
one day there will be no tomorrow so not everything can be about tomorrow, not everything can be about change.
There is no way to have contentment in our world because your goals _have_ to be about change.
You have to work out what you need and want - this probably isn't going to be list of cliché capitalist aims.
The game isnt getting things, it's understanding yourself. The western world isn't setup for humans to live happy lives really, good luck my man.
Ask HN: I implemented the life I designed: perfect but I feel lost. What now?
151–160 of 179 posts
Re: Ask HN: I implemented the life I designed: perfect but I feel lost. What now?
#152Earlier quoted context omitted.
Where do I start? What's the first baby step? I googled "Volunteering opportunities" many times without success so far ;)
It's GREAT that you're in this position! CONGRATULATIONS!!! I went through this as well. 10 years ago I was at the peak of a career but missing purpose. I rededicated my life to serving other people. It has given me a whole new lease on existence, and I can't recommend it enough. It really feels better to give than to receive! The short, overly simplistic answer is that all you need to do to rededicate yourself to a…
This. There is a group of computer illiterate people who do important work for our society but they were forced to work or learn from home, a team viewer sessions once or twice a day is really refreshing to see how our IT skills are useful - and that instant gratification "thank you" and joy in the camera.
Re: Ask HN: I implemented the life I designed: perfect but I feel lost. What now?
#153There is this game called Warframe and it has hundreds of weapons. The top 10 weapons are so good that they take out the skill involved in the game. Veterans get burned out after spending 1000 hours in the game. The "meta" (hyper optimization) is actually quite boring. I've had way more fun using "bad" weapons. Once you made it there is no need to hyperoptimize. If you find something you like then don't beat yourself up because you think there are better ways to spend your time.
Re: Ask HN: I implemented the life I designed: perfect but I feel lost. What now?
#154I was once in a similar situation: I felt full but empty at the same time. I was very content with my life but I knew something was missing and I had no idea what it was. Some people have suggested to spend time ‘giving back’. But why? There is no real objective reason to be altruistic. It seemed to me that it was all meaningless. The very foundations of morals and ethics became weak. I hated this perspective and tri…
Is submitting yourself to the concept of a god not the opposite of introspection? You are forgoing the need to find meaning in yourself and the world around you and instead choosing to believe a pre-made 'answer' to those questions.
To me this is like choosing to throw yourself into a relationship only because you find that you struggle with being single. Using an easier, readily-available external source of comfort found in being part of a 'collective' rather than the more difficult path of becoming comfortable with yourself as an individual.
Re: Ask HN: I implemented the life I designed: perfect but I feel lost. What now?
#155I would recommend the following video that may not provide explicit answers, but will perhaps provide a contextual understanding for how you're feeling. Why Passivity Breeds Mediocrity and Mental Illness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUs6NDsMWVI It sounds like you've slammed your new life full of ephemeral busywork to, well, keep yourself occupied. It also sounds like you don't have a professional network that rel…
Watched the video. I am definitely the kind of person he describes, and I agree with the diagnosis he makes about the human condition. I honestly don't think the cure he is suggesting is working, otherwise, I wouldn't be here. I am very very very far from being passive, indeed I (try to) fill (most of) my days with challenges and creative activities from which I get pride (cit.) pleasure, and make me feel alive. I've…
It's hard to get the idea across.
Content = I am happy the way I am.
Not Content = I want to improve myself.
That's it. Being content is being passive by definition.
A lot of people don't want to be passive and that is perfectly okay.
Re: Ask HN: I implemented the life I designed: perfect but I feel lost. What now?
#156One of my ideas for an end game is to get a PhD in something genuinely useful (cancer research?) and then work as a researcher. This way, you take care of something greater than yourself and your immediate family.
If I were better at dealing with people, I'd probably go into local politics. The government is always a mess and a person who is not there to fill his pockets/stroke his ego would be a net plus.
Re: Ask HN: I implemented the life I designed: perfect but I feel lost. What now?
#157What about sport? Something challenging, that requires years to master, e.g. martial arts or skateboarding or climbing? I feel like our happiness is tightly correlated with how much physical activity we get. I feel most happy and satisfied with life and myself, when I'm completely physically exhausted.
Re: Ask HN: I implemented the life I designed: perfect but I feel lost. What now?
#158I was once in a similar situation: I felt full but empty at the same time. I was very content with my life but I knew something was missing and I had no idea what it was. Some people have suggested to spend time ‘giving back’. But why? There is no real objective reason to be altruistic. It seemed to me that it was all meaningless. The very foundations of morals and ethics became weak. I hated this perspective and tri…
Yet there is a lot that seems not so great about religion and very human in the evil done in its name. I find it hard to devote myself to a 'god' if the teachings could well be made up by a person and just be used to control people. How do you make sure you have the truth and not a man made ideology?
You can try to worship "god" thru appreciation of surrounding nature, laws of physics, math, life complexity. Just use common sense and your own moral barometer.
Re: Ask HN: I implemented the life I designed: perfect but I feel lost. What now?
#159Earlier quoted context omitted.
Sure, she is aware of my inner struggle, but those are mine and there's not much she can do. Can she?
And you think that strangers who don't know you can? I'd trust my wife's advice more than some anon's. Ask your friends. Family. I'd ask the dog first before asking online. We don't know you. They do. They're more likely to understand you and what could help you. Asking here is no better than asking google "what is the meaning of life?".
lol.
True but I don't personally have anybody in my circle of friends who had experienced this kind of "I have everything" crisis.
Re: Ask HN: I implemented the life I designed: perfect but I feel lost. What now?
#160> This time I'd like to start really pouring my soul into something that can provide meaning to my life, without rushing into the next app/side project/hustle/startup to temporarily calm my curiosity.
I'm not sure it's wise to link seeing life as meaningful to any future project you might take on. Projects can succeed or fail and they can start with good intentions but have unforeseen bad consequences.
Also, Rolf Dobelli, author of "The art of the good life", makes the case that doing what you do best and donating some of the money that you earn to worthwhile causes is far more efficient in obtaining results than doing volunteer work a professional could be paid to do much better (especially if that professional is in a part of the world where earnings and the cost of living are low).
In general I believe people find meaning either through a religion or some sort of philosophy of life (such as stoicism).