People Break Down The Most Overrated 'Adult Goals' People Chase

As children, we begin to grow an image of how our life will turn out.

Usually involving a financially lucrative career, a good-looking spouse who adores us, and a magazine cover worthy house.

Of course, the older we get, we realize adulthood isn't quite what we expect it to be.

Which doesn't stop people from having certain goals, schedules and time-limits to accomplish certain things.

Redditor Happyotus was curious to know what common goals people set for adulthood aren't worth people's time and energy, leading them to ask:

"What’s the most overrated 'adult goal' people chase?"

Do They Even Know What They Need To "Figure Out?"

"Having everything 'figured out' by a certain age."

"Life doesn’t work on a schedule, and chasing that illusion just creates unnecessary pressure and comparison."- Life-Contest-1590

...Or Even Knowing What Constitutes "Important"...

"Confusing being busy with being important."- skarface9

Saying Hello To Fame Often Means Saying Goodbye To Privacy...

"Being famous. It looks hellish to me."

"Even when I fantasize about winning the Euromillions, part of that daydream involves how to keep such a win as anonymous as possible!"- bytheoceansedge

Red Carpet Picture GIF by Robert E Blackmon Giphy

For Love, Or Money?

"Turning every single hobby into a 'side hustle'."

"The internet has convinced us that if you’re good at something, you must monetize it."

"No, Sarah, I don’t want to start an Etsy shop for my paintings."

"I just want to be mediocre at something for fun without checking my profit margins or SEO."

"Not everything needs to be a business."- JulMayoooo

Fulfillment Comes In Many Forms

"The idea that you need to be passionate about your career and do what you love."

"Sometimes a job is just a paycheck that funds the life you actually want to live."

"There’s nothing wrong with being mediocre at work if you’re thriving elsewhere."

"Retirement at 60/65 - working until X age and then suddenly stopping is arbitrary."

"The traditional retirement script doesn’t fit everyone."- viedoklis

Materialism Isn't A Good Look On Anyone

"Buying stuff to prove you’ve ‘made it’ while quietly burning out."- Separate-Simple-5101

Black Friday Christmas GIF by Target Giphy

Case In Point, "Up In The Air"

"Flying a lot for work."- Ok_Raspberry_seven

Not Everything Is As It Seems

"Having a job that requires you to work a lot so you seem busy."- idamarie_r

Not Everyone Loves Being In Charge...

"'Being your own boss'."

"People look at owners of already successful businesses and think that is what starting your own business is like."

"Unless you are already rich and are able to just pay other people to do all the work, starting and owning your own business means you spend every waking hour working to keep your business afloat."- EnycmaPie

The Office Boss GIF Giphy

It's Not Always Worth "Fitting In"...

"I find that chasing after social status is pretty overrated."

"True fulfillment comes from personal growth, not what others think."- NightshadeNectars

As Long As It Pays The Bills

"Having a job with a lot of pressure and responsibility."- BallKey7607

It's A Choice, Not An Obligation

"I am almost 40, decently educated, and work for myself as a consultant."

"I don't have a Girlfriend, haven't had one for 7 years."

"I am not Married."

"No kids."

"The amount of Side Eyes and Comments I get is scary."

"Even from people my age or slightly Younger, not just the old 'traditional' ones."

"Everyone assumes I should have 'reached the Social Goal' of Married with 2.5 kids by now."

"Its like I am Green with a tail, from Neptune."

"I have a Cat, who is my best friend, I am quite happy, and it doesn't bother me as much as it seems to bother everyone else."

"Social standards have not evolved for the modern times."- orbit99za

Stay Single Animation Domination GIF by gifnews Giphy

You'll Know It When You Feel It

"Achieving 'success' in the traditional sense."

"What’s cool about being an adult is getting to choose for yourself what success looks like."

"It doesn’t have to involve tons of money, or a prestigious career, or being surrounded by the most popular and beautiful people."-Aus_with_the_Sauce

Life Is Not A Competition

"I’m not sure if it can be categorized as a singular goal."

"But the 'keeping up with the joneses' mentality."

"I see people accumulate large amounts of debt to look like they’re doing better than they are."

"Heck that was me in my 20’s."

"Now I’m trying to pay off all debt."

"I’m learning life is a bit easier without debt and interest slowly squeezing you."- Hiimkyle70

A Wedding Is A Day, A Marriage Is Forever

"Spending a house down payment on a single-day wedding."

"People go into debt just to impress relatives they don't even like, instead of using that money to build a life together."-TechGeek_Amit

Season 1 Wedding GIF by NBC Giphy

It takes almost no time at all to realize that adulthood isn't going to be everything we imagined.

Even so, even if we don't have the dream job, the perfect spouse, or a large house, it's not hard to quickly see that none of those things are requirements to find happiness.