We live in a world that glorifies hustling and relentless ambition. Every day is supposed to be productive, every project is supposed to be a success; taking rest is a surrender, and every decision we make is supposed to be right. We’re conditioned to believe that success is a linear path paved with sleepless nights and endless sacrifices. While we all want to be ambitious and achieve everything we’ve dreamt of, are we truly ready to pay the price beneath the surface of late-night study sessions and persistent goal-setting?
I vividly remember my little sister’s birthday two years ago; I was grumbling about having to attend the celebration because I had a test the next day. I managed to convince my parents to let me stay home, but it still hurts to think I missed such a significant occasion just to prepare for a test I can’t even recall now.
I also remember skipping out on other crucial family gatherings and events for the sake of exams and club meetings, volunteering time for charitable organizations, and chasing after achievements that now feel distant. Each missed moment reminds me that the sacrifices we make for our success are not always necessary. It feels important at that moment but becomes a matter of regret later.
Looking back, I realize that the relentless drive for achievement often blinds us to what truly matters. We prioritize grades and accolades over laughter shared with loved ones, we run after jobs and internships and forget that we’re only so young to have everything figured out. We compare ourselves, and we continuously beat ourselves up for lagging behind. We’re so deep into believing that this is how life is to be — tough and joyless — that we fail to recall that we’re selling our happiness for our ambitions.
It is true that success only comes with hard work, determination and persistence. It is valid to work to our limits to prepare for the next chapter of our lives. It is also okay to want to become better every day and be proud of your accomplishments. But it is not okay to continuously push your limits without breaks, to keep pestering yourself to work when you feel burned out, to label yourself as a failure for not trying hard enough, to erase rests and breaks from your schedule. It is not productive to sacrifice everything that brings you joy because you feel like you don’t deserve it until you reach the top.
We’re all paying the unseen costs of our ambitions. Maybe that comes in the form of sacrificing sleep, saying no to social events that don’t benefit your resume, hitting the gym with a drained body, forgetting to eat, ignoring your mental health, signing up for clubs to fill free time or expecting to give your 100% every waking day. As we chase our dreams, it’s important to take a moment to think about what we might be giving up along the way. Real fulfillment isn’t just about reaching our goals; it also comes from spending time with loved ones, taking breaks and caring for ourselves.
