Before 40 you want money and clout. But after 40 you need something more.
If you’re approaching that point, this might resonate.
It feels like: Losing the love, wondering if it's still worth it, you CBA more and more often. The motivation and drive that once felt endless, isn’t there in the same way.
Jung wrote about this 100 years ago. In younger life, motivation is relatively simple.
You’re driven by:
Money, influence, proving something (Adler’s "drive to power”)
Freedom, experiences, nice things (Freud’s "drive to pleasure”)
These motivations get you moving (hopefully). But midlife is a turning point. What once drove you can start to hold you back.
This transition often feels like: Being stuck. Coming to a standstill. What used to be interesting is now boring, or worse, meaningless. Goals lose their pull. Milestones feel empty.
It’s uncomfortable. But it’s also normal. The mistake is trying to push through it using the same old drivers. The opportunity is to ask a better question:
What purpose could I align this business / my life to now?
Because lacking that intentional source of inspiration, increasing profit, breaking another market, or launching something new, will not feel how you think it should.
And that’s the signal. You don’t need more. You need something deeper to build for.
