The game is not inherently bad, but people lose sight of why they are playing the game.
The win of the game is freedom.
People think that the win of the game is status. What is top status?
Partner? There will be another, at a larger company, at a higher position.
The coolest spots? Let's say you are in the coolest spots in your city, it is not LA, it is not NY, it is not Paris.
The status comparison is a one person game.
If you enjoy playing the game, then play the game.
If that is part of your life, then enjoy your life.
Maybe there are people, in fact, there must be people who can play the game, at the highest levels, and enjoy their life.
But inherent is that there is status and status is a one winner game.
Freedom is not. To have your freedom is something else.
The problem is defining freedom. It is not something you can look up and see how much it costs.
But there are purposes to freedom.
Being able to speak your mind. Being able to control your time. Being able to choose the work you want to do.
Freedom is choice. Wealth enables choice.
When you figure out how it looks for you to be free, then you can change the game and have it fit how you want it.
You wear the suit, the suit does not wear you.
I chose to exit the game because I did not see a good way for me to win it. Maybe win the battle, lose the war, is an apt description.
The goal is a good life.
You realize that you can have a good life many ways.
1) Freedom from earning money - you have investments and income that relieve you of having to work for your money. What that really means is that you can choose what you want to work on.
2) Self-awareness - you understand what it is that you like to work on. You understand what is good for you now. You understand what you actually like. What brings you joy. What contributes to your happines. How to maintain yourself.
3) Mental health - you are healthy mentally. You can sit in a room by yourself for thirty minutes and be at peace. You can sit by yourself in a room for an hour and watch what is going on.
4) Physical health - Your body is healthy, you have energy.
5) Ability to have good work - money is part of it, but money is a tool. You need to have other things in order to work at something you enjoy. Just ask Kanye. People make fun of him, but he did put in a lot of work to make fashion happen.
6) Relationships - time is important. time is good. time with friends and family are very important. build experiences with people.
7) Happiness - happiness or joy or something like that is not only adrenaline and dopamine hits. It is doing that which in the doing renews.
Again you could do this all while playing the game, but something is going to take a hit, or you have to bring a lot to the table. I was missing study skills and self-awareness, and now I have those in much more abundance. I am in a great spot in my career, and achieving things I want. That mean something to me and also that help the world.
As I am going ahead in life, there are opportunities presenting themselves, and I understand, although I am still learning, what the things to do are.
What the important pieces are.
What the game is about.