Anyone else feel like ~99% of their life was kind of wasted?
In the last year or so I started to see so many people of my age that have done truly incredible things and still doing more.
For the vast majority of my life my only goals were gettimg academic satisfaction and doing unproductive stuff in the free time to get temporary pleasure. No end goal whatsoever.
I kind of don't know what I've been doing in the last 17 years while someone gets a patent on solar systems, other invents a new recyclable plastic, and another found a successful startup. I mean, they all find what they're supposed to be doing with their lives and excel in them.
I feel overwhelmed for trying to pace up with these kind of people. Yet I don't like the way the things are and I can't do anything but envy those people. Anyone with experience in this regard? How did you deal with this? Did you eventually "pace up" with these people or was it too late or an unattainable goal?
Edit: Whoops, I didn't expect so many replies! Thanks, I'll look into them all
Don’t overthink it. If you have a good place to sleep and are happy, healthy, and not hungry then you are good to go! Success is almost always felt in the moment and doesn’t last. Sure there are some great discoveries that change the course of modern civilization but the rest were just a moment in time. Also some people are just full of themselves and not telling the truth.
What you're saying really doesn't satisfy whatever it is inside me. In fact, I could sacrifice these at least partially to achieve whatever it is that will satisfy me
I know some of those people so at least they're not lying. I told myself this all the time: "Oh they're lying for no reason on internet" "It's just being too privileged that makes you do these" etc. but there are really many people that are just genuinely good at using their time and opportunities efficiently. Lately I managed to at least partially do some the stuff I envied of other people, and it just makes me say "I want ALL of it". I want to know what they're doing when they wake up. I want to know how they think. Just whatever it is.
Well then it sounds like you need to keep on going until you find your thing(s) then keep going after that. I am a simple man with simple pleasures who is not chasing that but I wish you the best!