What We Crave

Throughout my life, I have watched people chase after the illusive brass ring. They define the lifestyle they want and chase after the lifestyle as if it will bring them the joy they have been missing. They think that the right car, the right house, or the right significant other will be the key. I have watched people achieve financial success, a great spouse, and everything else they had defined, and still… they aren’t happy. Happiness is not tied just to the spoils of achievement.

What we crave goes beyond the rewards of success. What we crave as humans is purpose. We crave the responsibility of taking care of others. We crave the responsibility of work. We crave knowing that our life is needed. I think one of the dangers we have created in young people is that we have taken away their responsibilities so they can have more fun and chase more dreams when they are young. I believe this hasn’t worked because there has been a sharp increase in anxiety and depression among young people.

Even as adults, those who have no more responsibilities tend to experience a crisis of existence. When they have all the money they could want and no longer have anything they are striving toward, they suffer a crisis of purpose. The antidote to unhappiness is the pursuit of something that matters. It is the decision to chase after a way to contribute to this world in a meaningful way. We are here to solve problems. Though the problems we solve may change from one phase of life to another, our contribution remains the resolution of challenges.

What purpose drives you? What purpose wakes you up in the morning and gives you the energy you need to face the day? When you find the thing that brings you fulfillment, the joy you seek will chase you down.