I’m a 24-year-old guy who has always dreamed of having a nice house and luxury cars. I work and make good money, but I don’t have any hobbies or much else going on in my life. I’ve never been in a relationship and don’t have many friends. On weekends, I either catch up on tasks or think about my next big business idea.
Lately, I’ve been noticing other people’s lives. It feels like everyone has something meaningful, whether it’s painting, Zumba, biking, or being in a relationship. Because of FOMO, I tried things like cycling and swimming, but I didn’t enjoy them. They felt like a lot of effort with no material payoff, so I stopped.
At this point, I’ve accepted myself and just stick to my routine. I guess I’ll see what happens.
Am I missing something?
Yeah, you are missing something. Not because you don’t bike or swim, but because you’ve built your entire life around materialism and productivity, and it’s leaving you empty.
You’ve trained yourself to believe that if something doesn’t make money or move you closer to a bigger paycheck, it’s a waste of time. That’s the trap. Material stuff can make life more comfortable, but it cannot make it meaningful. A nice house and a luxury car might impress people for a minute, but they won’t sit with you when you’re lonely, and they won’t give your life any depth.
Right now, your life is efficient, but it’s hollow.
You tried hobbies like they were investments. “What do I get out of this?” Of course you didn’t enjoy them. You stripped out the whole point. Hobbies, relationships, and experiences are not supposed to pay you back. They’re supposed to change you, stretch you, and connect you to something outside your own head.
And here’s the hard truth. If you keep chasing money as the main thing, the goalpost will keep moving. There is no finish line where you suddenly feel full. You’ll just have more stuff and the same emptiness, maybe even worse because you’ll have fewer people around you.
You say you’ve accepted your routine, but that’s not acceptance. That’s avoidance. If you were truly good with it, you wouldn’t feel that pull when you look at other people’s lives.
You don’t need to force yourself into hobbies you hate, but you do need to start doing things that have zero financial upside. Talk to people. Build friendships. Try things long enough to actually feel something, even if that feeling is discomfort at first.
Start small. One conversation. One shared experience. Stay in it without asking what you’re getting in return.
Because if everything in your life has a price tag, you’re going to end up with a very expensive life that feels completely empty.