The modern world is more practical than ever before. We don't even have to leave our home since all groceries, products and enjoyment can be delivered to us.
With life being so practical, more people want to become the ultra-productive version of themselves to get as much done as possible. The question is if the ultra-productive human is really what we should strive to be?
The ultra-productive human being
Imagine if everyone around you would be a Elon Musk, someone so productive they have their whole day planned out by the minute. I can imagine that friends, family and peace of mind would have a hard time fitting into that schedule.
People who constantly think about work and being productive sacrifice their precious health and time for it. If we all were ultra-productive and mega successful a lot of the human beauty would be killed, replaced with constant happenings and stress.
Sometimes, our longing for happiness acts as the fuel for work and productivity. In it's pursuit we do challenging things we might even hate doing. The problem is, happiness is rarely found in reaching a goal, since it's constantly replaced with a new, bigger goal.
Hungry for success or living in the present
There are productive millionaires hating life, and poor families loving every second of it. So trying to find what will make you feel meaningful or happy by achieving as much as possible, is probably looking in the wrong place.
I am currently enjoying summer without working, and I find it challenging. Not beause I cant support myself, I have savings to do so. But I feel stress when I ask myself "Am I really doing anything good with my time, am I productive enough?". It's like I am missing out on real life, because I can't stop thinking of being productive and making money. And It's hard to know which point of view I should correct myself after, hungry for success or living in the present.
Apple founder and billionaire Steve Jobs told us something important while dying of cancer in 2011 : “At this moment, lying on the sick bed and recalling my whole life, I realize that all the recognition and wealth that I took so much pride in, have paled and become meaningless in the face of impending death". One of the most successful and productive men on the planet, realized that most of what he has worked to achieve, was meaningless in the face of death. And death is coming for all of us.
The balancing point
We want to use the time we have been granted in life wisely, and not let it spill into nothing. But spending our time on false meanings, trying to become worthy of life by achieving materialistic success, will only get us face to face with what Steve Jobs told us about. Feeling that we worked so hard for something that didn't matter when life came to its end.
Not placing your self value in money, is so hard when it's all around us. We want so much, and often money is the gateway, and we can earn it by being productive and work hard. But there has to be a balancing point, where our life and happiness does not depend on it. Or, should we all join the race of productivity madness?
Dear self-improver, tell me what you think down in the comments!
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