Karen Horney was one of the very prominent Neo-Freudians. She talked a lot about the Ideal self and  Real self. She theorizes that psychological problems are due to conflict between a person's real self( his true self) and the ideal self( the type of person he wants to be). Whether you agree with her or not is entirely up to you. But you can never question that her theory has its worth.
Real is what you are (but for me it is entirely up to debate how real I am), but why we all have an ideal self? What is Ideal?

It is a purpose, a goal, a motive, an objective. Perhaps plan written on paper, typed in the smartphone's notepad, or just sitting in mind formulating, expanding, and ever-growing.

Ideals are what signify what kind of person someone is. Good ideals are for good people, evil intentions dignify bad people. But then again, who is making this criterion of good and evil? Many things once deemed evil are now normalized.

The nihilist's perspective comes into my mind lots of time. If we are to die one day, why should we have ideals, purposes, and reasons to live when in the end life expires? Death is inevitable. Why are we creating standards and ideals so high that our entire lives are accentuated around it and we can never truly relax?

Every youth tries to find a rose-colored life. They strive for it, they work hard for it to make life seems full and well experienced. If living a life full of energy, heartbreaks, forming bonds is considered a well-lived youth then what about those who live a quiet, low, and a life without creating a bond? Are they not living life? Are such ideas important?

Does having a life goal, a motive to live on necessary for a living? Do you have to find a reason, a justification to live a life?
What about those who just want to live for the sake of living and nothing else?

Having ideals is reasonable. But living a life without ideals is life too. It should be cherished as well.