Happiness versus Achievement
Brad: Why don't you get a job Spicoli? Spicoli: What for? Brad: You need money. Spicoli: All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz, and I'm fine.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High is a “must see” movie that I thought of in a new light. Spicoli’s pursuit of happiness is in direct opposition to everyone else in the movie. Everyone else is working to achieve something… money, status, reputation, sexual conquest. Everyone has an angle. Everyone is trying to achieve.
And then there is Spicoli. A caricature of the pursuit of happiness without a hint of effort to achieve anything. But Spicoli has dreams too:
Dreams that will never come true.
There is a balance needed between happiness and achievement. Pursue only happiness and your life goes nowhere. But pursue only achievement, and your life can become the drudgery of completing one little goal after another after another, a never-ending cycle of minor, meaningless achievements.
How many people stop and ask themselves: “What do I want my life to mean?”… “What is truly important?”
The drug of succeeding in the completion of little achievements can lead to ignoring what is most important. Picture the workaholic constantly focused on the job, while his family grows up without him.
Or, becoming a lawyer or engineer, not because it is your passion, but because it was what your parents wanted, or a teacher pushed you towards.
Or, staying in the corporate life for over three decades because of the drug of small achievements year after year, and it was expected, responsible, safe. Lacking the courage to ask the question and act on it.
Here is to tasty waves and the dream of following my passion. Almost a reality now.