What are we after?

The question in the title might look simple at first glance, but it is deeply philosophical in nature. It is a question that we ask ourselves at some point or the other during the course of our lives. The last few months have been challenging for a lot of people across the world with the coronavirus pandemic wreaking havoc and disrupting normal life in every way possible. This led people to rethink life and their priorities in life. But I am not going to dwell on all that. My focus today is the question in the title and how the answer to that changes with time.

The reason I bring this up now is because of a tweet from a person I’ve admired from afar. The tweet talked about how this lady, at 25 years of age, when asked about  how she sees herself at 35, replied that she expected herself to be making a mark in the corporate world and taking positive strides on her way to making it to the C-suite. But now, at 31, her answer to the same question would be that she sees herself as a housewife, taking care of her kid, and making time for herself every day to do the things she is passionate about like watching movies & soaps, reading books, and writing articles on them. She did not give any explanation as to why this change, but indicated that she would be happy if her current thought materializes in about 4 years’ time.  

The tweet struck me hard because it resonated with my thought over the past year or so. You enter into that phase where achievements in your professional/ corporate life seem immaterial. You need money, of course. But there is also the deeper need to have the heart to do what you do, day in and day out, with real passion. If that is not the case, then there is always something missing, no matter how happy you appear on the outside. This led me to the philosophical question in the title. What are we after, really? Is it money? Is it fame? Or is it a happy, healthy and a peaceful life?

Definitely, there will be arguments supporting the theory that money and fame will lead you to the ultimate goal of a happy, healthy and peaceful life. But ask the rich and the famous. Most of them might disagree. So what is it exactly that we are after? It is such a deep-rooted question with a philosophical meaning to it. It is quite spiritual too. But it is a question that is worth asking ourselves. Once you have asked the question, the journey to find the answer begins. Some find their answers quickly. Some take time. Some don’t find the answers at all. Nevertheless, ask yourselves this question. If you are convinced of the answer that you get, pursue the path that will lead you to the solution. Every journey is unique in its own way. Ask yourselves this question and start your journey. If you are one of the lucky ones who already knows the answer, congratulations! For the rest, let us keep chugging along the path that will lead to a solution.

This post is the outcome of some philosophical thoughts on a dull Sunday afternoon.

Cheers!