Modern Education and the Illusion of Success
From elementary to high school, we spend 12 years in classrooms.
But beyond learning, this system has conditioned us to believe that happiness always lies in the future.
In our teenage years, we are told that happiness comes from entering a good university.
At university, happiness is said to come from landing a good job.
Once employed, we are taught to endure long hours and endless competition for promotions.
By the time retirement arrives at age 60, many look back and wonder:
“What was I really living for?”
The Myth of the Success Formula
Modern education has instilled two powerful beliefs:
- A good school and a good company equal success.
- Present sacrifice guarantees future happiness.
Yet this mindset is relatively new—barely 100 years old, shaped by the rise of industrialized societies.
It is hardly universal truth.
The so-called “elite track” may lead to financial security, but it does not automatically deliver fulfillment or genuine happiness.
The Danger of Delayed Happiness
We are trapped in a cycle of postponement:
- In high school, we endure hardships for the promise of a better university.
- At university, we sacrifice again for the hope of a good job.
- At work, we give up health, time, and personal life for the chance of promotion.
Happiness becomes an ever-receding goalpost.
Life passes by while we keep waiting for “someday.”
Choosing Happiness in the Present
True happiness does not come only after an achievement.
It comes from finding joy in today.
Even a single moment of daily happiness—whether small or significant—makes life meaningful.
Achievements may bring short-term satisfaction, but they rarely sustain long-term happiness.
Life is only lived once.
Don’t postpone happiness.
Live in the present, and happiness will follow you to the end.