The Long Game

3

Setting the Right Goals

The default in Western culture, almost always, is to optimize for money. It’s why so many college grads without a clear plan migrate to law school or business school. In the absence of a compelling alternative, the thinking goes, you might as well make bank.

Of course, problems can arise. Companies that focus too obsessively on the bottom line may cut corners or engage in ethically questionable behavior. People that focus too intently on their bank account are susceptible to letting personal relationships suffer. None of that leads to good outcomes over the long term.

One possible alternative—a great one, if you feel clear about pursuing it—is to optimize for meaning. For some, the path to meaning is through working ...