I understand perfectly what you are saying and yes I agree. I am a Westener living in Asia and the longer I stay here the more obvious it seems to be that most Westeners always put pressure on themselves to achieve more. In many Asian cultures they tend to be content with much less than what the Western person needs or wants. When we get more or achieve our goals we are not usually satisfied for long and continue to want even more. This can lead to unhappiness and depression.
In tennis player Pat Cash's biography, he wrote that after he won Wimbledon in 1987, arguably the biggest prize in professional tennis, he never stopped for a moment to enjoy the victory, instead all he did was focus on the upcoming US open which he didn't win and eventually he spiralled into depression. What I learned from Pat's words were, stop once in a while and enjoy the journey.
I have addressed some related issues at the link below.
John
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