Groundhog Day

What would you do if you had unlimited time and there were zero consequences for your actions? What if you could just wipe the slate clean at the beginning of every day? You might ask, what's the point of dreaming about the impossible? Mathematicians use imaginary numbers to help solve complex problems. They call it i—the square root of -1—which is not logically possible. But thinking about the impossible can provide profound insight into what is actually possible in your life. A lot of people see Groundhog Day as just a romantic comedy, but it has hidden depth. It is an analysis of this exact premise. Look at the life stages Bill Murray goes through when he finds himself unwillingly trapped in time: Phase 1: Extreme Narcissism. He eats as many cream buns as he wants, insults people, and uses others for his own pleasure. Think of someone who just won the lottery. Phase 2: Disillusionment. His fantasies are fulfilled, and he gets bored. Think of a jaded rock star. He feels trapped, gets no pleasure out of life, and decides it's pointless. He tries numerous ways to commit suicide, but that doesn't work either. Phase 3: Reflection. Accepting that the previous phase is not the dead end he hoped for, he enters a period of reflection. Picture a person going through a midlife crisis, asking: What will actually give me pleasure, make me happy, and provide fulfillment? Phase 4: Enlightenment. With that realisation, he enters the final phase. What actually made him happy was the pleasure of helping others and the non-monetary payoff he got from it. That is exactly why parenthood is so rewarding. But that sense of purpose shouldn't just be limited to parenthood. The very poor are free in a way because they have nothing to lose—which is why the poorest people are often the happiest. To a lesser extent, so are the very rich, because they can insulate themselves from the consequences of their actions. It is those in the middle who are fully conscious that any false step can lead to a chain reaction that destroys life as they know it. They yearn to be free, but to truly do so, they need to be prepared to lose everything. If the worst case happens, they will adjust. It will become the new normal, and they will be proud they believed in themselves. A lottery win might get you off the financial treadmill, maybe only temporarily, but it does not provide a purpose. So, what will you choose?