“Prestige is like a powerful magnet that warps even your beliefs about what you enjoy. It causes you to work not on what you like, but what you’d like to like.”
Paul Graham, English born computer scientist, entrepreneur, venture capitalist, author, and blogger.
Every waking hour is an opportunity to pursue what matters to you. But are you sure you know what matters to you? Have you decided, or have you let others decide for you?
In pursuit of practical advice and professional wisdom, we sometimes find ourselves too subject to the opinions of others. Rather than discerning what is truly important to us, we find ourselves chasing approval. We look for opportunities to impress others with titles or positions which “sound good on paper.” We may become so addicted to prestige that we fail to understand why we’re left feeling empty or unfulfilled.
Only you can be certain what lights your fire, be it in real estate or in life. If you are presented again and again with proof that prestigious pursuits leave you cold, you must question the beliefs which have brought you to this point. There’s no shame in stepping back and identifying the powerful forces which may have shaped these beliefs. Parents, mentors, significant others, advertising, and even misinformed personal perceptions can be real drivers for the chronic prestige hunter.
Don’t worry if you’re unsure where to turn next. The good news is you can give yourself permission to explore beyond the boundaries of problematic prestige.
