How much of your life is occupied with thinking/worrying about money, wealth, productivity and success?

When success hijacks your attention and very existence, you become a taskmaster to yourself.

For many people, success is an outcome, a goal that means they’ve arrived.

When you fixate on an outcome in life, you lose life or the meaningful experiences that make life worth living.

Success is not an end in itself. The insatiable drive to make success a goal can consume your present time/life.

“When people see themselves as little more than their attractive bodies, jobs, or bank accounts, it brings great suffering…You become a heartless taskmaster to yourself, seeing yourself as nothing more than Homo economicus,” argues Arthur C. Brooks, the host of the How to Build a Happy Life podcast.

“Don’t become a taskmaster to yourself” means avoiding being too hard on yourself and setting unrealistic expectations or goals that can lead to burnout, stress, or other negative outcomes.

When you become a taskmaster to yourself, you become overly critical, demanding, or perfectionist, expecting yourself to achieve more than what is reasonable or possible.

It’s an insatiable habit that leads to disappointment, frustration, and even self-doubt, which can hinder life satisfaction.

The desire for success knows no limits

The feeling of accomplishment and recognition drives us forward, pushing us to work harder and achieve more.

However, what happens when the pursuit of success becomes an obsession? When we become so focused on our goals, we lose sight of everything else around us.

We become taskmasters to ourselves, constantly demanding more of ourselves to achieve a moving target.

It can be a difficult cycle to break, but it’s important to remember that success should never come at the expense of living meaningfully in the present.

Success is a double-edged sword.

On one hand, achieving your goals and reaching new heights can be incredibly fulfilling and rewarding.

However, success can quickly become overwhelming when it becomes the sole focus of your attention and your very existence.

You may find yourself constantly striving for more, pushing harder and harder, and neglecting other important aspects of your life. In essence, you lose yourself.

It’s a common trap, particularly in our hyper-competitive society.

The bad news is external achievements like money, fame, and recognition don’t necessarily lead to a happy life.

The secret to a meaningful or satisfied life has nothing to do with riches

“Even the most successful people suffer from the dissatisfaction problem,” says Brooks. “By managing what we want instead of what we have, we give ourselves a chance to lead more satisfied lives,” he said.

While achievement and money can contribute to happiness and well-being to some extent, they are not the only factors that determine a good life.

Research suggests that beyond a certain level of income and material possessions, more money and stuff do not necessarily lead to greater happiness and life satisfaction.

Instead, positive relationships, personal growth, health and well-being, altruism and empathy, gratitude and mindfulness can also contribute significantly to a good life.

These factors provide a sense of purpose, fulfillment, social connection, and inner peace that money and achievement alone may not offer.

Ultimately, what constitutes a good or meaningful life can vary from person to person, as each individual has their own unique values, needs, and aspirations.

However, it is generally agreed that a good life involves a balance between different domains of life, such as work, relationships, leisure, health, and personal growth, and a sense of meaning, purpose, and well-being.

Success is a moving target

“Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling.” — Margaret Lee Runbeck

If your happiness is solely tied to financial status, a job, a bank account, or a single outcome in life, you may experience burnout, stress, and existential crisis if you lose them, face financial difficulties or fall short of your ultimate goal.

People who focus on acquiring wealth and material possessions often experience a phenomenon called “hedonic adaptation,” where they quickly become accustomed to their new possessions and experiences and crave more to maintain the same level of satisfaction.

While success at what you do can provide a sense of validation and achievement, relying too heavily on them for happiness can backfire and lead to negative consequences.

For a more meaningful life, cultivate a holistic sense of self that goes beyond external factors and acknowledges your inherent worth and dignity as a human being.

That means developing a sense of purpose, values, and identity that is not solely defined by external factors but by your unique talents, strengths, and aspirations.

It can also involve practicing self-compassion, self-care, and mindfulness to cultivate inner peace and well-being.

You don’t have to succeed conspicuously to enjoy life. Be free of the illusion of success. Invest in experiences that guarantee satisfaction now.

This article originally appeared in Medium.