During lunch in the cafeteria, everyone started talking about houses. I am one of the few in the group who hasn't bought a house yet, so I didn't want to interrupt and just kept my head down, focusing on my meal. The leader was sitting next to me and turned to ask when I planned to get on board. I said I didn't have any plans. He said that I should at least think about what I would do when I got older. I replied that I would worry about that when I actually reached old age. The leader exclaimed, "Wow, you're even more pessimistic than me."
In reality, it has nothing to do with being pessimistic or not. At the beginning of the year, I read xintao's year-end summary for 2022, and there was a section about "long-term plans" that resonated with me:
Recently, I had a thought: if you love programming and want to persist in it for the long term, let's say 30 years, you will realize that some things are not important, while others are. For example, annual performance evaluations, promotions in a certain year, and so on, become less important when viewed in the context of 30 years. There are some things that are important, such as spending a year becoming proficient in an efficient code editor, improving code input speed, mastering the skill of creating beautiful images, and being able to write easily understandable documents and blogs. In a 30-year programming career, these things are important for both work and personal growth.
With this in mind, if you plan to spend 30 years doing something, many things will not seem so urgent. We will have plenty of time to seek opportunities and train ourselves in things that will be beneficial in the long run. Things that are focused on short-term gains will also become less important.
I believe that life doesn't have as many deadlines as we think. If I'm not in a rush to buy a house before I turn 30, or to have a successful career before I turn 40, or to achieve social status before I turn 50. If I don't blindly conform to societal norms and choose not to confine myself, I will have plenty of time to do things I enjoy. Basking in the sunshine while reading a book, coding on rainy days. Occasionally binge-watching a TV series, occasionally complaining to friends about having to work overtime tonight. Taking a sip of wine at a dinner party, but only for the sake of enjoyment.
I walk on the road, but I'm not in a hurry. I appreciate the scenery along the way. It reminds me of the "Ode to the Red Cliffs". The guest said, "One should not rush to obtain what is unattainable, but rather entrust the echoes to the mournful wind." However, I have already enjoyed the gentle breeze and bright moon, and I am content. So, for me, happiness has nothing to do with lifespan.