Hello and welcome in my wonderful friend. I appreciate you being here with me today as we dive into an interesting discussion on what it means to be “successful” in the new age. This is important, because the world has changed, is changing, and will change at a blistering rate. The old norms and ideas from past generations just don’t relate to us that much anymore. The idea of success has changed and is much more attainable to the average person. We need to redefine what it means to be successful for the new age. If that sounds interesting to you, then keep on reading!
Boomer Success
Boomer success was get a job, get married, buy a house, have kids, go on a yearly vacation, retire at ~65. Not everyone succeeded at this, but these ideas were passed on to us from a young age. This sounds like it could be a very nice life, but if you look at what young people are doing, it’s not at all the script. Houses are less attainable, fewer people are having kids, many more people have dreams of being creative entrepreneurs, and just being healthy is much more of an obstacle. The economic situation is way different and we face way different problems. Yes, money and family are still very important, but there’s a lot more to consider in today’s age.
Are you healthy?
Are you healthy? If so, you are successful. If you aren’t healthy, you can become successful if you do the right things. This is attainable to everyone. And it’s more important now than ever because of accelerating obesity and plunging testosterone. Is it because of poor food, poor lifestyle, poor environment? Probably all of the above, but especially the environment. It’s not your fault there are so many chemicals in the air, in the food, in the dirt, and in the water. But you can control your behavior, and if you do the right things to be as healthy as you can be, you’ll be glad and grateful that you did. You’ll feel better, move better, and live longer. That’s success!
Are you getting 8+ hours of sleep?
Ancient humans slept when it was dark and cold and got up when it was light and warm. They got enough sleep. Today, we’re bombarded with fluorescent blue lights in our environment and in our homes. We stay up late and wake up too early to an alarm. Do you get good sleep? If so, you are successful. It’s not an easy fix because there are so many behaviors at fault. Here’s what you can do. Exercise daily. Get sunlight first thing in the morning. Turn off and dim lights early in the evening. Make yourself cold. Sleep in a room with a dog or a partner you love. Set yourself a bedtime alarm and stick to it. Get up when you feel like it. That’s success!
Are you getting adequate sunlight?
It’s ridiculous that this is such a big problem, but it is. Most of us aren’t getting enough sunlight. As more and more jobs turn into digital work, less and less time is spent outside. I’m not telling you to become a farmer or construction worker, but it might benefit you to make a habit of going on walks (with a dog if you have) or making a hobby of gardening or hiking. If you get plenty of sunlight, that’s a feature of success that not everyone gets to enjoy, but everyone could.
Are you spending 6+ hours a day with people that you love?
Ancient humans spent most of their time with other people in their tribe. These were loved ones, teammates, and tribemates. They spent quite a lot of time working together. As work and play become increasingly remote, quality social time is on the decline. It’s especially a problem with so much travel and emigration, because people often aren’t able to set roots. The whole family structure has dissolved. People are increasingly isolated. Research shows this is one of the things that makes the greatest impact to health and happiness. Are you spending enough time with loved ones? If not, you might need to at the least make plans, or at the most redesign your life. Humans are meant to be social. If you spend plenty time every day with friends and people you hold dear, that’s winning.
Are you thriving at work?
Do you have enough money? This one is obvious, has never changed, and never will change. Money is important. Money can’t by everything, but poverty can’t buy anything. We don’t need to go too deep in this. Let’s peel back a couple layers though. Do you enjoy your work? Does it challenge you? Do you learn new skills? Is it growing you in a direction that will be resilient to a changing world? There’s no shame in working a job to put food on the table. But if you answered yes to all of the above you are definitely successful.
Do you have a business?
Do you have your own business? If it it makes you money that’s great. If it doesn’t, that’s okay too. There’s never been more opportunity to be creative, to write, to produce, to make product, to go into the market place and sell. If that pays for your life that’s wonderful, but it’s worth more than that. Having a business is increasingly a hobby that’s for fun, and that’s okay too. The barrier to entry for creating something has dropped to the lowest point ever. Have an idea? Go make it happen! It’s easy. If all you did is created something, that’s successful. If it make you money, that’s even better.
Do you own Bitcoin?
The new kids care less about physical stores of wealth and care more about online goods. For the boomers, it was owning a house. For the zoomers, it’s owning a bitcoin. Owning a house is still a measure of success and a fine way to build wealth. But more and more people are opting for a different path. They want to store their own keys, become their own bank, control their own rules. In the new age people care about cyber assets in the online space. It’s not right or wrong, it just is.
Should you make babies?
Why has the birth rate plummeted so much in the so called “first world”? Is it because people don’t want to make babies? Is it because people feel like they can’t afford to raise kids? Or is it because people are infertile and can’t have kids? There is a factor of changing beliefs to consider, but sadly I believe the problem is more in the latter. Young people increasingly can’t afford a house, let alone rent, and push making family back until sometime later, whenever that is. Then when they try, they find out that they’re sub-fertile or infertile. It takes money and it also takes health, which is increasingly a rare combination. Community or family support would also help, which is also often lacking. I’m not telling you what to do, but having family is still a measure of success.
Are you happy?
Are you happy? If yes, that’s success right there. This is your life and you can live it however you want. You can’t have it all, and you deserve to be happy even when you’re wishing for more. Don’t let someone else tell you whether you’re successful or not. I’m not here to do that. I’m here to give you some ideas for how you can live a better life, navigate a changing world, and come out on the other end successful. All you can do is your best, and I hope you do that.
What does success mean to you?
It’s up to you to define success for your life. You get to choose your own adventure and set your own path. What does success mean to you? Please share it in the comments down below. My list is not mean to be all inclusive nor prescriptive. I’d like to hear what you think “success” means in the new age.
Much love,
Travis