Philosophy

Sometimes I think we have such a set list of expectations for life. When we’re in high school, the ultimate dream is to go to college. And so we grind away, forgetting to breathe, have fun and begin truly exploring our interests (taking that guitar class in high school? Never happened thanks to the college grind). When we’re finally in college, we let out a sigh of relief. Finally we’re here, we gleefully say, almost relishing in the fun-filled possibilities that await us our Freshmen year. And then things change. We begin to get increasingly focused. Grad school or a lucrative, prestigious job looms around the corner. Grades start becoming a priority, once again. The GRE, the next SAT, terribly awaits us. And then when we finally get to that job, we’re put officially onto the track. The track of what? Working. All. The. Time. After reading the first few pages of Jeremy Iversen’s book, I do begin to echo his thoughts.

Have we really worked this hard and terribly just so we can grind out memos, forty hours a week with only two weeks of vacation to breathe in the whole year for the rest of our lives?
And when did that set of expectations and that direction towards the “track” - when did that become the new American dream?

Yet this presents an opportunity for leaders and individualists to emerge - people who don’t follow the crowd, people who take risks and ultimately, people who make their own lives. Not live by others.