We receive more emails and comments around the idea of finding meaning and purpose than pretty much anything else. There are some great options out there designed to help people find direction, many aimed at people our age who are questioning what to do next. These programs can counter the pressures of age which, unless pushed against, cause our worlds to shrink. Mark me as being in favor of newness; new people, new ideas, and new possibilities are life-expansive. The key here is that most of us learn by experience and, for better or worse, we need to take the risk of newness to know what works for us: we need to go out and actually do something. Of course, good guidance to keep us out of the weeds is incredibly useful, as the amount of time we have available for tests and learning is less than when we were younger. However, on that later point, there may be considerably more time than we assume, and we should not let the fear of an impending end restrict our imaginations.
The metaphor “we can only see as far as our headlights will reach in the dark” is true; and a good map gives us some idea of what is ahead. That is: We need to be in the car to actually see what things feel like for us, but having a good knowledge of what may be ahead, from doing our research, is wise. Overall, my life has been an ongoing series of test-and-learn experiments informed by a certain amount of knowledge and a curiosity about what may be discovered along the way. If it seems like a good fit, I’ll persist; if not, I’ll rescan what else there is. Although my standardized tests in high school directed me to a career in engineering, I quickly found out that, even though I was relatively good at it, the work style of sitting and reading manuals was not for me. Against pretty much everyone’s advice, I set out on what became an unlikely journey to becoming a high-level photographer. When digital changed that world, I was led to create the publication you are currently reading. There was a huge amount of on-the-job learning in both of these, which is humbling; but hey, most good things are hard to do.
Not that we are recommending it, but there is research saying that if the decision to stay or leave a job is left to a flip of a coin, the leavers are happier than the stayers. It could be that variety and expansion of experience are what increase happiness; it could just as well be that we are all more adaptive than we may have thought. It could also be that by expanding our skill sets, our work social groups, and the accompanying learnings, we become stronger and happier. What is certain is that static self-pondering is not always a good idea: it can be self-centered and changeable based on day and mood, and it seems to lead only to more anxiety of “what if?” Sometimes we just need to say yes, try things on for size, and see if it is a good fit. You never know where it will lead.
Onward and upward,
David
