The dead beat and the over achiever who loses at life?
Say two neighbor girls were best friends. They were just ordinary children focused on school and fun when they could. But when they got to middle school they met different groups of people. One joined clubs, ran for student council, got a part time job and hit the books. The other had fun at parties, had flings, didn't worry about grades and focused on her social life and fun.
Flash forward 4 years after graduation. The two girls bump into each other. The slacker girl has a part time minimum wage job, is a single mom to a toddler, and has a shitty studio apartment. The overachiever girl was about to graduate college, was engaged and had a very impressive resume with many potential employers interested in her. The overachiever girl decides to give the slacker girl a ride home. While on the way they are both killed in a car crash.
Those moments before they died, their lives flashed before their eyes. The slacker may have become nothing but all of the fun memories flash before her eyes. She had many dates went to many parties and got to experience the joys of motherhood. Is she happy with herself? Or is she unhappy because in those moments she knows she has "failed" according to societal standards? At the exact same time the overachiever sees her life as well. But instead of the fun times she sees studying, staying in, preparing and organizing. Was she happy with herself? She may have achieved many things but did she ever stop for a minute and enjoy her life and just have a crazy night FOR herself?
Now you are probably are thinking: damn you're depressing, but now we are here at the main point this post. To talk about moderation. The key to happiness in my opinion is to know your limits. To have as much fun as possible without it making your life turn for the worse. Some people look down on people like me that do just enough to get by, but I am not sorry about it. I am totally happy with my straight C's in college. Because I also enjoyed myself. But at the same time, I don't regret saying no to the bar the night before the test. I got by, graduated but also enjoyed my life.
Am I the only one that thinks it's ideal to be somewhere in between my two hypothetical girls?