In college and in the early to mid-20’s many of us select career goals based off of what we think will impress our peers. We opt for the traditional targets of money and prestige.

Simultaneously telling ourselves that these are the aims that once curated will lead us in the direction of acquiring more happiness. For some maybe the achievement of these things is really just a way to mend some sense of insufficiency we feel about ourselves.

In a certain cliched irony it takes most of us getting the money and the stuff to then realize that’s not really the goal. Maybe to a certain extent everything is hedonic adaptation.

What might a better aim be? I argue that what we really should seek is intellectual curiosity and excitement in the day to day of life.

Almost every job I’ve ever held has become monotonous after enough time. These types of jobs seem to inevitably lead to a life designed around anticipating the weekend.

But what if we went against the grain, to orient our lives in a way so that the work activities we participate in are less of a slog to simply endure, but rather a conscious curation of activities that inspire and excite us.

Maybe that future would be more exciting.