as i mentioned in my first post, you're looking for freedom from expectations. you will continue to struggle with feeling like a failure because nothing will be good enough FOR THEM. you also have to stop comparing yourself to others. it's freakin' hard not to when everyone's worth is seemingly measured by possessions and money. i get it. not until you come to the realization that none of it matters will you start enjoying your own life though. and sometimes that means disregarding your own family, who while they mean well, can be extremely detrimental to your health.
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On the car, consider going classic. You'll need 2 cars but the classic wont depreciate, it wont ding you on insurance, and it'll be unique.
OP sounds exactly like this article http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wait-but-why/generation-y-unhappy_b_3930620.html The basic gist of the article: Parents tell kids they can do anything they want and succeed. Kid has high expectations of himself. Kid doesn't meet expectations and sees himself as a failure. In current social media age, kid is overexposed to friend's vacations, parties, fun and gets envious. Kid feels like he can't meet his expectations or compare himself to his friends. Ends up more depressed. Bottom line is, you think too highly of yourself. In reality, you're probably fine where you are. You're still young, still have lots to grow and achieve. You're not the big shot you want to be, but everybody has to start off small and work their way up. Don't compare yourself to your friends, either. They share all their happy moments just like you share yours. Doesn't mean their life is all full of fun and happiness when yours isn't. They work hard just like you do, and probably feel like you do, too.
I was gonna post this. Sounds like what Ahmed's feeling right now. Only way to help snap out of that is controlling your own universe. Think positive and build yourself up. With exercise, diet, self improvement whatever. Small actions, small improving goals can lead to bog results.
How's the working out going? Take pre-work out supplements to get a kick-start. Whey protein afterward. Hell, even take Creatine. Get ripped. Work hard. Money and chicks will be drawn to you. About the car..I just need something around 300 HP to get by. Look at a 2014 Infiniti Q50 Sport. I was quoted at $380 a month with zero down (first time Infiniti buyers get tax credit) for a fully loaded one (19" wheels, Navi, etc). That was for like 12k miles a year...39 month lease. I passed on that deal and went with a pre-owned IS350 Sport (white on black). V6 306 HP...more than enough for my wife.
The linking of quarter-life crisis and buying a car is lame as fudge, Dude. It's severely, severely lame. Not trying to be mean here. You just need to get outside of your current mindframe. I'm 45. After I graduated from college, I went to teach in China at age 22. That shook things up a whole lot more than buying a car. Make a big move if you have serious issues with your life direction. Just do something that is totally not "you" as you currently conceive of yourself. You can find things that you know will have a lot of good about them, even if they are not "you" (and you're not so satisfied with "you" anyway). I've been doing bikram yoga for a month, for example. Sure, I thought it was kind of ghey for most of my life. I wear embarrassing yoga shorts now. But I find it's awesome as hell, better than running, better than lifting. It's improved my whole body, health, and life. It's something that was not "me," but I knew intellectually it would have a lot of good about it. Use your mind to find something that you know will be good, something significant. Improve your health. Improve your mind. Help someone. Help a lot of people. I'm talking big here, not just carrying a little old lady's groceries. Use your mind. Find something that you know is substantial and good and do it.
Some excellent posts in here. I think that 'education' is better than activities alone. The optimal thing would be to 'study' as I describe below, and then explore new activities. Some people like my younger cousins just follow a checklist of cool things to do, yet without deeper knowledge and reflection (of why they do it), their experiences aren't fulfilling. One cousin spent a fortune on extreme sports and traveling. His experiences were always superficial (i.e. visiting a Buddhist shrine in China did not make him spiritual; skydiving was fun for about 2 hours than he was bored once more; scuba diving by coral reefs did not make him appreciate wildlife). Once I encouraged him to truly read different subjects and watch documentaries, he pinpointed what bothered him. He's much happier today reading books and learning about the world from his computer instead of jetting around the globe in pursuit of satisfaction. I noticed which subjects really roused him. I recommend everyone to study astronomy, philosophy, history, and biology. In particular, astronomy teaches how insignificant our perceived differences are, how laughingly miniscule our anxiety regarding expectations, career, material wealth, etc. The sheer size of our galaxy, the age of some celestial objects, and the power of supernovas and black holes wows us. Philosophy transforms our thinking; we can either live as ordinary creatures that react to the environment and stimuli around us, or we can learn to detach ourselves for higher thinking. The gift of critical thinking and foresight is awarded to the philosophical reader. Suddenly we question everything and find arbitrary rules everywhere. Eventually, we settle down by crafting our personal belief systems. Our problems with morality and ethics, unjust societies, and faith can be answered by the old thinkers and our reflections. History shows us how thousands of generations before us essentially encountered similar problems and experiences. The difference between 2013's accomplishments to 2012's are nothing; the difference between 2013 and 1993 can be vast or small in certain areas. Like clockwork, people will discuss certain ideas once they hit a particular age. Some 25-30 year old in 17th century France may have written about OP's very problem. His solution is waiting to be read in some library or document archive online. Finally, biology shows us how good humans have it versus the rest of the animal kingdom. We don't hunt one another or usually respect each other's space/rights = less stress and hurt. You study genetics, and see why it manifests itself in our societal organization. You read about biochemistry and pharmacology to see how drugs can be so powerful and dangerous. Lastly, knowing that mayflies or bees have lifespans under 6 months creates humility and appreciation for the OP's 24 years alive. P.S. This may turn readers away, but I suggest meditation and yoga, in addition to your workouts. Also, I found intense spirituality when dabbling in mar1juana and other drugs, but cautiously tread in that realm if you wish to explore it. TL;DR Life's not so bad, OP, including the mundane stuff. You can do exciting things that will take you outside your normal routine. Or, you can truly educate yourself. Know your place in the cosmos. Study the sciences and humanities. Learn about how many of the seven billion on this planet live instead of the pretty couple in your Facebook News Feed posting pictures of their lives with several comments and likes. Your boredom is a culturally-made prison of the mind; real education along with new experiences can free you.
