I have achieved a lot in my life, both professionally and personally, and I hope I continue to do so. However, I don’t gauge my life satisfaction on what I’ve achieved. Life needs to be about the people in our lives, the experiences we’ve had and the lessons we’ve learned. Every person in our lives is placed there for a reason, and each will teach you something important. Your loved ones, not your achievements, will contribute to overall lessons you’ll carry throughout your life.

Life needs to be a good balance of fun, spontaneity, and goal-setting. If we only focus on goals and professional development, it can lead to burnout. We need to create a balance. Schedule time for fun. Enjoy time with family and friends. Life experiences are so much more valuable when we share them with others.

You can even intermingle fun and achievement. For an example, I wrote my first book, “Dear Anxiety,” I worked with others to share their personal stories. Writing the book with others was lots of fun, and I am now using the book sale proceeds to hopefully start an anxiety support group on a local college campus. If I achieve my goal, it will benefit others’ mental health and will have been an enjoyable experience for many.

I think as a society, we often focus too much on our goals and becoming successful that we don’t stop to have fun and live a little. Fun moments teach us just as much about life and the things we want. When you’re doing what you enjoy, you impact others’ lives just as much as they impact yours.

At the end of the day, people are going to remember you for the person you were and the emotions you made them feel, not necessarily for your achievements.  Create a life that you enjoy, not a life that’s only achievement-focused. Life is so much more than what you achieve. At the end of the day, creating a life well-lived is the best achievement of all.