V.S.

have understanding if their goal is attainable, and act based on that rationale. Unfortunately, this decision is usually already made by parents very early on. Parents often budge in, claiming that a certain career is “unrealistic” or “too competitive.” The reality is, however, if someone has enough drive to follow and achieve their dream, they will stop at nothing to achieve it.

When people decide on a career path that is not necessarily what they want to do with their life, they take a much more negative and, consequently, selfish approach. Realizing that they can no longer reach true satisfaction with their work, they become obsessed with the most obnoxiously relevant aspect of their adult life: money. From then on, the generational cycle continues. Adults are left to believe that their wealth, and little to nothing else, has led them to live a fulfilled life, which is then infectiously spread on to their children.

From that previous study, though, it is clear that the benefits of money towards one’s happiness are blown way out of proportion. So, what would actually happen if people made decisions based on their wishes, and not on the terms of their parents or society? Theoretically, the world would reap a countless amount of benefits. Imagine a world where instead of a young, innovative adult being shut down for their “outrageous” aspirations, they are lifted up and told that they can become what they truly long to be. Picture a society where people do not reluctantly go to work just so they provide for their family, but where people eagerly arrive at work in order to reach improbable goals and change the world for the better. Envision an environment where kindness is impossible to ignore because people have achieved the best for themselves, and now only want the best for others. If only the possibility of this idea had become more clear to people, then humanity would be embracing it as a reality, and not just viewing it as an out-of-reach fantasy.

While money holds a sizable amount of importance, it is not everything. It does not control our destiny or define our self-worth. And yet, people continue to chase after it because they believe that it does. Maybe, at one point in time, the world will believe that the true value does not reside on a dollar bill, but instead starts from within someone and beams outwardly towards others and beyond.