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I thought I’d have accomplished a lot more today and also before I was 35 (2020)

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Re: I thought I’d have accomplished a lot more today and also before I was 35 (2020)

#31

Post by qsdf38100 »

powersnail wrote: post #29

My disillusionment is not on a personal level, but rather, on a societal level. I thought that I would become successful enough to, well, make a lot of differences in how the society works. Now being an actual part of the society, I don't see how I could accomplish any of my childhood ambitions. Even if I'm 20x richer, with a much higher social status, they are beyond me. I suppose that the younger version of me have…

Yeah, not much you can do on a grand scale unless you devote you career/life to it I guess. Due to recent events/war I wanted to do something, not sure what, as I realized I’ve been focused on my own little life for too long. Except I see there’s not much I can do, as you said, except talking with family and friends. It feels like the boat is slowly sinking, nobody really cares, and there’s nothing I can do about it.

Re: I thought I’d have accomplished a lot more today and also before I was 35 (2020)

#33

Post by hungryforcodes »

moonchrome wrote: post #4

So either the author has a midlife crisis or they genuinely hate where they are in life. TBH, since they have no family/commitment and sound like they dislike where they got in life - I'd say discard the image of yourself and start doing radical things moving forward, sounds like a no lose situation to me, worst case scenario you die doing something risky - but that always sounded better to me than surviving in a hol…

It's what we might call "self-observational humor" or poking fun at one's self. It came out a couple of years ago and I had a good chuckle when I read it.

Re: I thought I’d have accomplished a lot more today and also before I was 35 (2020)

#35

Post by bayesian_horse »

dagw wrote: post #27
gonzo41 wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Elon had starting capital. Never forget that he had the ability to have a soft landing all his life.

Elon had starting capital. So do millions of people. The vast majority end up doing absolutely nothing of interest or value with it.

Elon Musk also definitely had a lot of luck.

Re: I thought I’d have accomplished a lot more today and also before I was 35 (2020)

#36

Post by supermatt »

dagw wrote: post #11
kochikame wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Elon Musk was born privileged and is probably wrong about a whole bunch of things. I don't think it's an appropriate or useful point of comaprison.

Elon Musk was born privileged Only relatively speaking. There are a whole lot of people grew up with a hell of a lot more "privilege" than Musk and who have accomplished far far less.

And theres even more less privileged who cant take a risk because they dont have anything to catch them when they fail.

Re: I thought I’d have accomplished a lot more today and also before I was 35 (2020)

#37

Post by bayesian_horse »

aaaaaaaaata wrote: post #24
posix86 wrote: post #14

Sounds a lot like ADHD to me tbh.

New puppy's behavior is easily confused as such. It's closer to the truth that we're probably just not supposed to live this way.

ADHD goes without recognition and diagnoses way more often than it is being identified wrongly.

It is a valid condition, with serious and quite predictable consequences, only partly fixable by medication and therapy.

Re: I thought I’d have accomplished a lot more today and also before I was 35 (2020)

#38

Post by djaychela »

I was expecting to resonate more with this article, but found that the writer really hadn't been doing much.

I often complain to my girlfriend that I've got nothing done, and then she asks what I've done... and it turns out I've actually done a lot. I'm currently splitting my days between regular contract work producing videos (first two hours of the day, 7am-9am), and then after a short break I spend the rest of the day (until 6pm, with an hour for lunch) working on my house extension. Today I'll be doing more of the roof (weather permitting), or putting in central heating pipes.

Then, after dinner, I'll be working on YouTube content.

But still, I've done nothing, in my mind... because I expected to have the extension finished by now (I'm 9 months in, and about 6 months behind, mostly due to external delays).

I'm 50. I did expect to be much more successful than I am - I'm not in the slightest, financially. I never expected to be a millionaire, but I'm below average earnings in the UK. But I'm (mostly) happy, and I think that's what matters. I hope so, anyway!

Re: I thought I’d have accomplished a lot more today and also before I was 35 (2020)

#39

Post by xvector »

cik wrote: post #28

There's something cross cultural here that just doesn't cross. I can't relate. I'm responsible for me - my success, my failures. I also sure as hell better check on my neighbour and lend a hand. Fulfilment comes from within, not externally. Results driven fulfilment comes from the gradual achievement of small goals, slowly combining into larger goals. They can be as small, as simple as reading a book. The best advice…

> Fulfilment comes from within, not externally.

I am 26 and this is has been the hardest thing for me to come to terms with over the past few years.

I thought I'd be happier with a high paying job. So I got a job that pays at the 99.9th percentile for my age. Didn't really make me happier. Then I thought my unhappiness was because of my weight. So I lost 90lbs. Hardest thing I've ever done. But it didn't make me happy. Today a voice in my head is telling me "you'll be happier if you get muscular," "you'll be happier if you get in a relationship." I plan to do all of those things, but I realize they probably won't make me happy.

What has helped somewhat with fulfillment was placing a fundamentally greater value on myself. Reflecting on my accomplishments has made this a bit easier. And I do value myself a lot more today than I did two years ago - my confidence is higher, even if not as high I hoped it would be...

I can't help but feel a bit lost. My accomplishments did not provide me the concrete, grounding, pervading feeling of achievement I hoped they would find. I wasn't happy after them. Instead, there was... nothing, and now I feel like I'm kind of just floating without direction when it comes to "finding happiness."

Re: I thought I’d have accomplished a lot more today and also before I was 35 (2020)

#40

Post by fxtentacle »

To me, it sounds like the author tried to be everything to everyone. That's a recipe for disaster.

If I had to give advice to my younger self now, I'd probably go with:

1. Celebrate your science reading habit, instead of awkwardly apologizing that you like mathematics. 1 paper a week might seem like it'll get you nowhere, but in 20 years, that compounds to in-depth knowledge of the field. It'll pay off, but on a time scale you and your peers don't understand yet.

2. Don't compare to Gates, Zuckerberg, or Elon. The 1st had resources you'll never have because of his rich parents. The 2nd is now universally hated as a sicko psychopath whose products drive teens into suicide. The 3rd can't seem to keep a stable enough relationship to have a family. You'd hate being in their shoes.

3. Get more comfortable saying no. People are going to ask you for favors all the time, but your time is very limited. Only help friends or those where you predict they'll reciprocate. Make people get their own hands dirty first, it'll help them learn. Stay away from "energy vampires" who ask for your help for everything but won't help you back.

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