Alain de Botton - After Carol had left, as Symons threw away a pile...

After Carol had left, as Symons threw away a pile of used tissues and rearranged the cushions on the couch, he remarked that the most common and unhelpful illusion plaguing those who came to see him [as a career counselor] was the idea that they ought somehow, in the normal course of events, to have intuited--long before they had finished their degrees, started families, bought houses and risen to the top of law firms--what they should properly be doing with their lives. They were tormented by a residual notion of having through some error or stupidity on their part missed out on their true 'calling.

Alain de Botton

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Alain de Botton Quotes

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After Carol had left, as Symons threw away a pile of used tissues and rearranged the cushions on the couch, he remarked that the most common and unhelpful illusion plaguing those who came to see him [as a career counselor] was the idea that they ought somehow, in the normal course of events, to have intuited--long before they had finished their degrees, started families, bought houses and risen to the top of law firms--what they should properly be doing with their lives. They were tormented by a residual notion of having through some error or stupidity on their part missed out on their true 'calling. Alain de Botton

They Said So®

Keywords

carol left symons threw pile tissues rearranged cushions couch remarked common unhelpful illusion plaguing [ career counselor] idea normal events intuited--long finished degrees started families bought houses risen top law firms-- properly lives tormented residual notion error stupidity part missed true 'calling

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