What's important is that your criteria is based on what you think is interesting or worthwhile (or by your paraphrase, "cool"), so that you personally are happy

What's important is that your criteria is based on what you think is interesting or worthwhile (or by your paraphrase, "cool"), so that you personally are happy with your own story. The mistake teenagers make is trying to optimize for the definitions that others have for those things. (I say "mistake", but really it's just the natural consequence of not yet having a clear sense of self, which is perfectly normal at that age)