""I'm not against success. I want to be able to pay my bills, support my family, and feel valued. But the version of success we're fed-fame, visibility, endless productivity-is a lie. It promises meaning but often delivers emptiness. We've replaced presence with performance. Care with clicks. Integrity with optimization. And the result? A society where exhaustion is normal and enough is never enough. Psychologists call it extrinsic motivation-doing something for a reward, like money or applause. It's not inherently bad.""
""Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value." ~Albert Einstein, adapted I often feel like I was born into the wrong story. I grew up in a time when success meant something quieter. My father was a public school music teacher. We didn't have much, but there was a dignity in how he carried himself. He believed in doing good work-not for recognition or wealth, but because it mattered.""
A cultural shift prizes visibility, fame, and monetization over quiet, meaningful work. People increasingly focus on branding, hustling, and constant promotion. Presence and care are replaced by performance metrics, clicks, and optimization. Extrinsic rewards such as money and applause often drive activity, displacing intrinsic motivation and the joy of work done because it matters. The result is normalized exhaustion, persistent scarcity mentality, and competition for attention and resources. Community and dignity are diminished as life becomes transactional. The promise of fame and productivity often delivers emptiness rather than deeper fulfillment.
Read at Tiny Buddha
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