Wasting your life is one of our biggest fears.

“You’re not your job. You’re not how much money you have in the bank. You’re not the car you drive. You’re not the contents of your wallet. You’re not your fucking khakis.” That’s one of my favorite lines from one of my favorite books: Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk.

I’ve read Fight Club probably five or six times. But when I reread it again recently, that line really hit me. Are you wasting your life if you try to chase all those things?

In the midst of our pursuit of whatever we’re after, it’s easy to get so distracted that we lose sight of what matters—and before we know it, we waste our time chasing the wrong things.

It’s fine to set goals and pursue things in life. However, you don’t need whatever you’re pursuing to live a meaningful life. Here’s why.