We are too busy living in this materialistic society that we forget who we really are. You may not know this, but it could be that behind your desire for success is your desire to be seen. Let us talk about what people want in life.
What people want in life is not material success: being rich, being famous, holding a high position in a company, or being the owner of a company just for the sake of owning one.
We think it is the key to happiness because the majority believe it is the key to happiness. People who “have it all” seem happy, so we think we also need to “have it all” to be happy.
I am not sociable, but I can be the most observant, empathetic, and intuitive quiet person you will ever meet.
I am the person sitting somewhere, looking around, trying to figure out what other people think, how they truly feel at the moment, and what kind of person they are.
And based on my observation, not all of those who seem happy are truly happy. I can be wrong, I know. It is just an observation after all.
So, I am going to share with you my story. I learned the hard way that material success is not what most people, maybe including you, want.
But before I talk about what people want in life, I will start off with what I discovered is the most important thing in life, at least to me.
What Is More Important in Life Based on Experience
I almost died, or at least felt like I was on the verge of death, in 2019.
I had near-death experiences before that day (I experienced being almost hit by a car several times), but something occurred in 2019, and it was the most terrifying of all.
My mom even did something so that I could feel fine. I couldn’t sleep for days because it happened while I was sleeping.
I won’t go into detail, but during those nights I couldn’t sleep, I uttered these words many times: “I don’t want to die yet. I shouldn’t die yet. I haven’t experienced enough in my life. I don’t want to die.”
It occurred days after I was betrayed, so I was so down, crying at night, and hoping to die.
I was hoping to die, I repeat, so my wish was granted. But I didn’t know that it was different when it was already there — when death became a reality.
According to Psychology Today, many of those who attempted suicide don’t want to do it again because they realized they don’t want to die.
It was scary, and I realized that I didn’t want to die. At the time, I realized I wasn’t happy, so I wasn’t ready to die. And that was despite the fact that I had more than enough money in my bank account.
Before that day, my dreams were to become a lawyer, to study abroad, to be a criminal psychologist, to be a court judge, to be a medical doctor alongside being a lawyer, to study writing at a top university, and others that were all about my ego.
After that day, my dreams became to help other people, to explore the world, to do things because they make me happy and not because they increase my status in society, to experience more, and others that were about my emotional satisfaction.
I was already generous even before, but I became more generous after that day.
A lot of things changed overnight. I thought money and titles could make me happy, but I thought wrong.
Death showed me what’s important in life, and it is living our lives with our hearts. It is because by living our lives with our hearts, we can create memories that our dying selves will be happy to remember.
You can disagree, as I said.
Society loves to make people believe that material success is the most important in life. That happiness can be had when we’re surrounded by impressive tangible accomplishments that are all about our ego.
I won’t be surprised if that’s what you believe in.
Some people are even willing to take advantage of others, step on other people’s toes, and sabotage other people‘s happiness just to get to the top.
I experienced being on the unfortunate side of all that, so I should know what the world has become.
I am just sharing this with you because this might make you think about how you are living your life.
I’m not sure if all people who had near-death experiences they have no control over (not including suicide attempts because those are intentional) had this kind of realization.
But I’m sure that there are lots of old and dying people who have lots of regrets.
I have a question: Are you happy?
What People Want in Life Is to Be Seen and Understood
What people want in life is to be seen and understood.
Sure, people want to be this or that. But when you look deeper into the situation, you will find out that they indeed want to be this or that because they want to be “something” to other people.
They want to show people that they aren’t as worthless as they believe they are.
Do you feel like you have to prove yourself to other people every single time? If yes, didn’t it occur to you that maybe proving yourself to other people is not the right thing to do?
That people don’t have to “see” you before you become happy? That happiness doesn’t come from other people? Or that behind your desire for material success is your desire to be understood?
Do you know the difference between happy people and sad people?
It is that happy people see themselves while sad people wait for other people to see them. Happy people don’t seek validation from others while sad people do.
Happy people pay attention to their emotions while sad people their egos. Happy people can be happy because they don’t conceal their lack of emotional satisfaction with their money and status in life.
Harvard Business Review says if you are too focused on money and other materialistic pursuits, you will never be satisfied. It gives only temporary happiness.
The thing is, you have to focus on your emotional health more than your material success if you want to be happy.
I have another question: Do you cry when no one’s around? If so, I don’t know the reason but I know that no amount of money can stop the pain that you are feeling (unless the reason you are crying is lack of money).
During those times, you want a shoulder to cry on, a friend to talk to, an apology, or love. Basically, you want someone who will connect with you on an emotional level.
If someone offers you billions in exchange for your normal self, when you are too hurt to the point where you consider suicide, you will ignore it and run to that person you feel safe with and who can mend your broken heart.
You see, it is hard to find someone who feels like home. Would you let the chance to be with them pass you by?
Actually, some would.
Last Words
I believe that money is important to survive. Of course, we have to eat and pay our bills because we are still part of society.
However, if you think that money is the most important thing in life, you will not be a satisfied human.
What people want in life is not connected to the ego but to the heart. Take the time to reflect on yourself so that you realize the truth about yourself.
You might have been too busy living in this materialistic society that you forgot who you are. Hit pause, and look within yourself.
What people want in life is to be seen and understood.
If you enjoyed reading my opinion on what people want in life, here is a video of me talking about it:
