I wish I had questioned my beliefs and rejected more of what I’d been told earlier in my life. I would have saved decades of wasted time and effort.
For a long time, I was influenced by peer pressure, consumerism, marketing, books, movies, ego, insecurity and FOMO.
Today, I have rejected this path. I’m not immune to outside influences, but they are much less powerful than they once were. I’ve become accustomed to questioning and pausing before taking action.
Here are some of the questions I wish I’d asked myself earlier in life:
Why go to college?
Why only consider becoming a doctor or lawyer?
What really is a good job?
Why do I want to be rich?
What does happy mean to me?
Why not live on less?
Why work until I drop dead?
Why not play hooky?
Are good grades really necessary?
Why not play more?
Why not travel?
Why be monogamous?
Why should I trust the news?
What is behind this poll? Who are they asking? What is being asked and what is being measured?
What is in the study that is behind the headlines?
What is hyperbole? What is exagerrated?
Is this “common knowledge” or is it just repeating common tropes?
Who gains from this action? Where’s the money?
Why get married?
How important is this?
Will anyone remember this in 100 years?
Is this really important?
Will this make a difference?
What happens when this ends?
Does this person have a vested interests in manipulating me?
Who is making money from this?
Some results from questioning what I once believed:
I won’t purchase a mansion , an expensive car or a boat. This has removed a huge swath of potential problems from my life (FOMO, loans, expenses, insurance, maintenance etc.).
I have rejected working in corporate America. This has removed a long list of behaviors and compromises ranging from inane to reprehensible.
I have rejected following the news, polls and studies. If I need information, I’ll dig into the facts underneath the headlines. Anything on the surface is exaggerated, oversimplified or skewed to present a specific side and attract clicks.
Rejecting much of society’s common behaviors and beliefs has not turned me into a misanthrope.
On the contrary, it’s molded me into a kinder, more understanding person. It has freed me to focus my efforts on what is important to me.