The Illusion of Status and the Pursuit of Real Value
“Status is fake and transient. Just focus on substance and doing valuable work. Talk about it in public. Beware the inner ring fallacy.”
In every field, there’s a subtle undercurrent that drives behavior more than we’d like to admit: the desire to belong. We chase after rings of exclusivity, thinking they represent real progress. C.S. Lewis called them “Inner Rings,” and while he might’ve been speaking to a room of mid-20th-century students, the point hasn’t aged a day. These rings—the invisible hierarchies of who’s “in” and who isn’t—still shape much of how we operate. But here’s the thing: the pursuit of status is almost always a trap.
Status works because it’s both real and fake at the same time. It exists in the sense that people believe in it, but that belief is what makes it hollow. It’s a shell game: get into the group, win the title, or snag the VIP pass, and it feels good—for about five minutes. Then the illusion unravels. The moment you step inside, you realize there’s nothing there. You’ve just moved the goalpost for yourself, and now you’re looking for the next thing to chase.
The problem is that status is mostly about appearances, not substance. You can fake status. You can tweet the right things, wear the right clothes, or signal the right opinions. None of this makes you better at what you do, and none of it makes the world better. What really matters—what always has—are the things you make, the problems you solve, and the people you help. These are the metrics of real value, but they’re quiet. They don’t give you the rush that comes from being noticed, which is why so many people ignore them.
Ironically, the best way to achieve anything close to true status is by ignoring it. People respect competence, not clout-chasing. If you’re great at what you do, and if you keep showing up for the right reasons, you’ll accidentally end up inside the only “ring” that matters: the circle of people who are good at what they do and recognize the same in others. This is the opposite of a status game. It’s not about exclusivity. It’s about shared respect for real work.
The pursuit of status isn’t just a waste of time—it’s actively harmful. It distracts you. Instead of focusing on getting better, you’re busy curating your image. It tempts you to compromise, to cut corners, or to let your principles slide for the sake of being liked. Worst of all, it’s insatiable. Even if you win the game, the rewards are fleeting, and you’re left emptier than before.
The solution isn’t complicated, but it’s hard. You have to focus on substance: doing work that matters, sharing it with the world, and building real connections. This isn’t glamorous, and it doesn’t guarantee you’ll end up with a million followers or a corner office. But it’s the only thing that lasts. When you pour your energy into something real, you build a foundation that no status symbol can touch.
The truth is, status is like chasing a mirage. It promises meaning but delivers emptiness. Real value, on the other hand, doesn’t need to be chased—it just needs to be created. The sooner you stop playing the status game, the sooner you can start building something that matters.
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My aim is to live a balanced and meaningful life, where all areas of my life are in harmony. By living this way, I can be the best version of myself and make a positive difference in the world. About me →