Is there more?

In Drake’s song Is There More, he laments over the simple question – is there more?

Is there more to life than digits and bankin' accounts? Is there more to life than sayin' I figured it out?

Am I missin' somethin' that's more important to find? Like healin' my soul, like family time Is there more to life than just when I'm feelin' alive? Is there more?

It’s fascinating that Drake, widely considered the most successful artist of all time, is asking this question. Drake isn’t an outlier in the music industry. Avicii committed suicide at 28, Frank Ocean and Kendrick Lamar disappeared from society after releasing #1 albums, and Taylor Swift and countless others have shed light on their mental disorders.

This trend is omnipresent – the most successful YouTubers are depressed, America’s professional elite are miserable, and those at the top tech companies increasingly suffer from burnout. Sports are no exception, with players across the major leagues coming forward to speak about mental health. Kevin Love, a NBA player, recently wrote about suffering a panic attack during a NBA game.

It seems that as a society, we’re avoiding the important questions. Why is success in the career paths we value leading to severe anxiety and mental health issues?

Though this question merits endless debate, the answer might be that there is no meaningful value to be found in the work we do. Derek Thompson aptly said that the “conception of work has shifted from jobs to careers to callings”.

Work is expected to bring meaning to our lives. Meanwhile, study after study has shown that pouring our lives into work shortens our lifespans, makes us unhappy, and deprives us of quality time building relationships.

Since the most successful in any field are the ones who’ve devoted their lives to their craft, is it a surprise that so many are miserable?

We need to stop pushing this mindless agenda of working more and hustling harder, and make time to be happy in our short lives.