Some of this advice is good but I think it ultimately misses the mark it's aimed at. It's interesting how "follow your dreams" and effectively "don't worry abou

Some of this advice is good but I think it ultimately misses the mark it's aimed at. It's interesting how "follow your dreams" and effectively "don't worry about fulfilling your potential" can simultaneously fill the same cognitive space despite being diametrically opposed. I wish I had more time to reply here so if these thoughts are muddled or incomplete: my apologies. Ultimately I think advice like this is possibly a net disservice to people. The end result tends to be people who accept living a life without ever trying very hard at anything. The crux here is that societal pressures on achievement, status, and wealth are onerous and by and large should be rejected but if that leads to nihilism or something close, which it often does, that's not much better. There are many people today who are just not trying very hard, because trying hard has been associaated with corporate bullshit and classism and so on. But many people are capable of some degree of amazing things, and those things take effort and perseverence. Not necessarily sacrifice ofall of one's free time or health or anything like that but it will require effort and time. And without a drive to achieve one can miss out on the potential of creating great art, great tools, or even becoming a great parent. So don't give up on the idea of fulfilling your potential just avoid getting suckered into climbing into a hamster wheel just because you think that's what everyone around you wants. Take the time to make your life choices carefully and intentionally but don't be a nihilist by accident and don't avoid greatness merely because it's hard.