A lot of the reason people underachieve — or even get depressed — is because of a false belief that there’s “something better.” Sometimes this false belief is in an afterlife. Only the most fervent believers can buy into this belief and, yes, they probably get less depressed because of this faith. But how mentally healthy can it be to depend upon self-delusion to keep your happiness and self-esteem propped up? Most, while nominally claiming they believe in “something better after this life” don’t believe this strongly enough to overcome the worry that it might not be so. Yet, they have internalized this belief enough to keep them from placing all their hope, energy and effort into this life — that is to say, into life. I don’t mean to say that this problem only applies to religious believers. There are many agnostics and even atheists who are plagued, at least subconsciously, by a sense that “there must be something better” or “there should be something better.” Think of this as a “grass is always greener on the other side” syndrome applied not to a specific situation, but to all of life itself. If you want to get to the root of your depression, or your poor motivation, or your “low energy,” this is definitely something to consider. At the end of the day, you either are committed to flourishing in this life — assuming it is THE imperative above all imperatives — or you’re not. It seems illogical and downright silly to attempt to cure one’s mental ailments without addressing this most fundamental of issues.