We are told from a young age to follow our dreams; to find something we want to do and work as hard as we can to become the best at it. We are told that this process can take a long time, perhaps even most of our lives. This works for those who have something they’ve always wanted to do. The structure of society also encourages this, demanding we choose our career and path for the next several decades at a young age. College becomes a time for building and cultivating connections to set ourselves up for the rest of our lives. And changing one’s mind as an adult is often difficult and isolating.
Don’t feel ashamed if you don’t have a long-term goal – you’re not required to have one to validate your existence. Plenty of people get by doing what they need to do, even if it isn’t something they love doing. And by the time they accomplish their goals, they might be old enough where that once-upon-a-time-dream isn’t their priority anymore – there are likely plenty of other things that have much more meaning and value to them than that one accomplishment.
You don’t need a crazy, unachievable dream to be happy. I’ve never had one of those dreams. I don’t know what I want to do or where I want to be in ten, thirty, or sixty years. Instead, try to find value and meaning in the short-term and dedicate yourself to things you’re passionate about right now. Look at your immediate surroundings and take part in what makes you feel good. Do things because you want to do them. Work hard and work with pride on the project in front of you right now because that is what you have control over. Be micro-ambitious and be aware of your environment because that is where the next pursuit that’s worthy of your time and your attention will most likely come up. If you’re concentrating too hard trying to look beyond the horizon for some as-of-yet unattainable goal, you’ll miss what’s meaningful within reach that might broaden that horizon. So be wary of those long-term goals and focus more on the now. Focus more on impact, and focus more on value.
If you have the time and inclination, I highly recommend watching Tim Minchin’s Graduation Speech at UWA. He has 9 life lessons he imparts, the first of which inspired this article.