I have been feeling down lately. Probably because I have been feeling like I’ve lived a meaningless life. I feel that I am not doing enough to help my fellow human being. I have chosen my work in order to help people but I feel that I am not doing enough to help my fellow human being. I would like to go on the frontline, in the trenches. I feel like my work would be more meaningful there. Maybe I’m just ranting, and I’m sorry if this bothers anyone, but I feel that this is the only place where I can say it and be judged only by my peers. I thank you for reading thus far. Stay strong!
4 comments
What is it that you do for a living?
I am a ortho and trauma surgeon
Join MSF, maybe? I dunno how that works, but it seems like it has a lot of pro’s and con’s in re: finding meaning in service. To be honest, that kind of career already seems like a meaningful occupation, even without the risk of accidental drone strikes or suicide bombers. That’s just from my perspective, though.
I agree with rivets, you’re already doing something very useful from my perspective. But i also understand this feeling of yours: You’re doing something good, but you think you could somehow do more good, that what you have done so far isn’t enough or that you sometimes could have done more. I get that same feeling whenever i look at something i drew; it doesn’t matter if people like it or if it looks ‘good enough’ to pass as art, to me it’s simply a pile of errors. This feeling is kind of a double-edged sword: It pushes me to always try to improve, but it also makes it impossible to be content/happy about my work.
I know that if you feel that kind of perfectionism about helping others it probably doesn’t help that i tell you you’re already doing a meaningful thing, cause you’ll always feel like you could do or could’ve done more.
Still had to say it, though, hopefully it helps a bit.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.