Ben Greenfield argues that people possess different innate skill sets and life purposes; instead of envying others, individuals should recognize and embrace their own strengths. He discourages wasting time longing to be someone else while still supporting lifelong learning and diverse interests, but emphasizes satisfaction and appreciation for one’s discovered unique purpose.
We're not all built the same. We all have different skill sets. You probably already know that. Yet when I look around and become tempted personally to envy or covet or crave somebody else's job, somebody else's life purpose, somebody else's unique skill set, I personally have to keep reminding myself. And you might find this too, Ben. That's not you. You're a storyteller, an author, an orator. And you're not an engineer, not a technician. I'm not a professional athlete or a musician or a big executive. So don't waste too much time trying to or wishing you were those things. I'm not discouraging you from going out and learning new skills and living life or operating in the spirit of a sort of Renaissance person who has many skills and passions and hobbies and vocations. But I am encouraging you, once you have discovered your unique purpose in life, to be fully satisfied with it and fully aware that what might come easy to you, and therefore what you might even take for granted, is something that can be shockingly difficult for someone else.
The Solution to Aging Might Be Closer Than Anyone Realizes - With Ben Goertzel
