Purpose

I never really ever thought too much about purpose during my career. I suppose I was more more goal oriented, and to the extent I thought about it at all, I probably would have said my purpose was to pursue my goals. Since stopping work in 2019, I have been acutely aware of structure, identity and purpose and take pro-active steps to ensure my lifestyle delivers on all three pillars. After the initial decompression that happens after stopping work, you begin to settle in a routine which is very different to the one you led for the last few decades. One stand out characteristic is that, for the first time in your life, no-one demands anything of you. This is a jarring feeling. To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, there’s only one thing worse than being pulled in all directions, and that’s not being pulled in any direction. At first you relish this state of being. It doesn’t mean you are being ignored, or bored or lonely. You can go about your business doing whatever you please. But after a…