> I would argue that people have a very intrinsic need for the "doing" mode (setting goals, spending effort achieving them, slowly observing the progress). If w

> I would argue that people have a very intrinsic need for the "doing" mode (setting goals, spending effort achieving them, slowly observing the progress). If we don't get enough of that, we start inventing goals. If we don't manage to find/invent anything worth spending effort, we get depressed and step out of the game, freeing up resources for those who have goals. Brutal efficiency of nature in action. I agree. I also think people tend to set goals in very binary fashion (Success/Fail) and it puts people on path to be depressed all the time. You either succeed (and get a temporary high from success) only to set new goals and be depressed about hitting another goal for yourself or fail outright and be depressed about that. I've experienced that myself (social and professional) and it just sucks...