At some extremes, this is false, right? What about someone becoming an astronaut? Getting elected president?
Be cautious who you cede your identity to, but it's OK to be genuinely excited about some career outcomes.
Be cautious who you cede your identity to, but it's OK to be genuinely excited about some career outcomes.
> At some extremes, this is false, right? What about someone becoming an astronaut?
Sorry about the source, but have a look at this workplace discussion between two Russian Astronauts, about how that after the big send-off the job is a "heavy routine" and "depression hits". But they can't give it up.
https://www.reddit.com/r/space/comments/grzwfl/i_love_this_c...
- "I'm fed up. Fuck. This is the last time"
- "hahahaha"
- "What, dammit?"
- "This is the tenth time I hear that from you. We live while we work or fly."
I mean, what do you do after being an astronaut? If it's "the extreme pinnacle of your life" and it's over.
From what I've heard (not my expertise) the brain chemistry primarily rewards the pursuit, not as much the outcome. I've been there a few times myself after both achieving and deciding to drop a major goal (because I learned more about the outcome that made it no longer desireable). Having no major goals is an almost certain recipie for clinical depression among other issues if one is not found quickly to replace it. I believe its because the intrusive thoughts of fundamental questions like "what is my life's purpose" now definitely have no answer in your own head.
On a universal level, there is no purpose.
On a global level, there is probably no purpose.
On a societal level, maybe you can do something to help <insert whoever you want to help without harming others>, if that makes you happy.
On a familial level, people usually feel good interacting with family/friends, so the purpose could be to keep those feelings going.
Up to the individual to play the game or not play the game, no right or wrong answer. But if you are tying your happiness to expectations of being able to cause grand changes at the universal/global/even societal level, then you will probably be disappointed. Everyone's existence is almost certainly meaningless in the "big" picture.
No, I’d say both of those are definite examples where the rule applies; particularly the latter, which is an extremely limited term gig, overidentifying with the job is dangerous, for you in most jobs, but also potentially for others in that last one, depending on how the overidentification manifests.