How personal is your personal growth?

Are your goals and personal expectations based on your dreams, or based on what you know will please and/or impress others?

I have been a victim of, and have watched others consume themselves with trying to obtain goals that do not reflect who they/we are as individuals. Is this because of circumstance and responsibility, or inability to be true to thy self?

Few are fortunate to live life exactly as they would like; including career, family, home, etc. If you could live exaclty as you wish, what would differ from how your life is today? Is it possible to live that life?