Why Life’s“Side Quests” Are Just Not That Fulfilling
Go for the main thing instead.
When I was a child, I wanted to become a comedian.
I was lucky enough that I ended up playing in ads, TV series, and movies.
I got out of high school and considered an acting career with a caveat: while I really wanted to become a comedian, I really didn’t want to become a failed comedian.
Betting my entire life on a profession where 96% of those who try fail didn’t seem like a sound idea.
So I invented a bunch of excuses for why I should not study acting and pursued a “side quest” instead.
A side quest refers to bonus quests in video games. They’re not part of the main storyline but are fun to do anyway.
It’s a helpful concept to think about these minor goals we have and that prevent us from focusing on the main one.
Don’t Do the Side Quest
It’s easy to say in retrospect, but doing a side quest is a bad idea.
First, happiness is the result of working toward a meaningful goal. Your top goals will make you the happiest, so these are the ones you should work on.
