How to Succeed in 2024 Without Living Someone Else’s Life

When we talk about success, we often think about what we want to achieve—our dreams, our goals, our ambitions. But there’s another side to this: our values. There’s always a gap between what we think we want and what truly matters to us deep down. Sometimes, we chase after things just because everyone else is doing it. We’re afraid of missing out, of being left behind. It’s human nature to want to belong, to be part of the group. But this urge can lead us to follow the crowd without ever asking ourselves if what we’re doing really excites us.

The real danger isn’t just wasting time. The real danger is waking up 10, 20, or 30 years later and realizing you’ve lived a life that wasn’t yours. A life spent pleasing others—your family, your country, your culture—instead of living a life that truly makes you feel alive.

Take education, for example. In some families, everyone has a PhD, so you feel like you have to get one too. You don’t even question it; it’s just what’s expected. The same goes for getting a Master’s degree. In many European countries, especially France and Belgium, almost everyone gets a Master’s. It’s seen as the only way to specialize. But if you travel a bit, you’ll see it’s not like that everywhere. In Australia, for example, most people don’t have a Master’s. It’s mostly foreigners who get one, often to make it easier to get a visa or permanent residency. In Canada, it’s similar. People get a Master’s because it opens doors, not because it’s the only path.

So why do we blindly follow what everyone else is doing? It’s just cultural conditioning. We’ve been told since we were kids that this is the way things are done. But if you look around, you’ll see that every country, every culture, does things differently. Why should you follow a path just because a small group of people in your country do? In a few years, things will probably be different anyway.

The truth is, the majority is often wrong. Don’t make decisions by default just because “everyone else is doing it.” It’s tough, because we all want to fit in. But there are other ways to prove yourself, other ways to belong. You can start by doing things on your own terms. Being self-employed, for example, can be much more valuable than following the crowd and doing something that doesn’t excite you. If you’re not passionate, you’ll always be average. And average, by definition, is mediocre.

It’s better to excel in a less-traveled path than to take the highway and never feel at home.

I’m writing this from a café I like to visit. It’s a place where people talk, share ideas, and connect. Sometimes, I get distracted by people I know walking in. It’s easy to get sidetracked, just like with the camera on my phone—I thought you could see me, but you couldn’t. Sometimes, we think we’re on the right path, but we’re not really being seen for who we are.

The first step is to be 100% honest with yourself about what you want to achieve. The second step is to do it for yourself. That’s what will help you succeed and excel. At least then, you’ll have the life you wanted, not the life someone else chose for you. That makes all the difference. When you live your own life, there are no regrets.

Often, at the end of life, people regret the things they didn’t do, or the things they did just to please others. Unless it was something you truly loved, you won’t look back and say, “I’m glad I did that.” Sometimes, it’s about status or recognition, and that’s fine if it matters to you. But you need to know what you want.

It’s not always easy to know what decisions to make. Sometimes you’re unsure, sometimes you change your mind. The key is to really listen to yourself. Stand in front of the mirror and ask: What truly makes me happy? Try talking to yourself as if you were another person. Ask yourself, “What do you want to do today? What do you want to achieve?” Your subconscious will answer differently when you ask this way.

For example, if you love books, maybe you should build a business around books—digital books, crypto books, a new kind of library or bookstore. Find a way to make it work for you, in a way that’s relevant for the future. When you do something you love, you don’t count the hours. Just like when you’re with friends or family, you don’t watch the clock. Quality time isn’t measured in minutes, and the same goes for your life’s work.

If you love what you do, you’ll do it endlessly, without counting. That’s what makes life meaningful, and that’s what will help you go further without even realizing it. If you’re an employee, you’re always being evaluated, always having to prove yourself for a raise or promotion. But if you’re doing something you truly care about, you’ll go much further, because you’ll enjoy every step. You’ll have less frustration, less mental clutter, and you’ll naturally spend more time getting better at it. Over time, you’ll be better than average, simply because you love what you do.

The biggest danger is not that we aim too high and miss, but that we aim too low and hit.

— Michelangelo

When you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.

— Confucius

So, the fastest way to succeed in 2024? Don’t follow the crowd. Listen to yourself. Do what makes you come alive. The best time to start is today, not tomorrow. The journey is beautiful when you’re passionate about where you’re going. When you love the path, you don’t keep asking where it leads—you just enjoy the walk.

Key Takeaways

• Don’t live someone else’s life—define your own success.
• Following the crowd rarely leads to real fulfillment.
• Passion is the difference between mediocrity and excellence.
• Ask yourself what truly excites you, and build your path around it.
• The best time to start is now.

Action Steps

• Reflect on your true values and desires.
• Question the “default” paths in your culture or family.
• Try talking to yourself as a second person to find honest answers.
• Start small, but start today on something that excites you.

Reflection

• Are you living your life, or someone else’s?
• What would you do if you weren’t afraid of missing out?
• What makes you lose track of time?