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I know the feeling.
Here's my theory: We've lived our lives up to now being very "future" and "goal" oriented. That's been the driving force for us. We achieved in high school, because the goal was to get into the best possible college (a very tangible goal, and tangible achievement). We worked hard in college to get into the best possible graduate school (likewise, very tangible).
By our 40s, we are 10-15 years into our careers/jobs/businesses. The scenery doesn't change so dramatically anymore. A lot of what we used to consider the "wide open future" has either passed, or is here now. Even when it has worked out very well, such as a long term happy marriage, great kids, etc., it is still here now - not merely a concept for the future.
I think that can be a little unsettling for people who have always strived and worked for the future. You can reach the peak you have been climbing hard for all of your life, but when you get there, you don't feel quite like you thought you would.
I think a lot of it is we miss the climb. We miss having lofty, life changing, tangible goals in front of us.
The solution would seem to be to get some new lofty life-changing goals. But that's easier said than done. When you've invested your entire life in your business/profession, it's not easy or sensible to make major course changes. Plus, you probably enjoy what you are doing. And, financially, taking some big risk or making some big changes isn't necessary, so there is no trigger for change. And, frankly, we've worked hard for our entire lives, and are a little tired. Cruising along is just fine. At this point in our lives, there is no risk.
"Passion" is fine, but not very specific. I think for many of us, reaching for major goals has been our life passion. By our mid 40s, if we've worked hard and have been successful, many (most?) of those major goals have been met. So then what? Backpacking or driving your car - that's a bit thin.
For me? I have spent that last few years working much less than in the past, and spending a huge amount of time with my kids. That has been awesome, but of course is only temporary. Kids grow up, and then the bulk of your work with them is done. I intend to launch a new business, completely unrelated to what I have done in the past, but in an area that has been my lifelong passion, within the next year or two. My goal is to create something out of nothing, and build it into a big business. There is risk, there are unknown, and there are goals. Here in the early planning stages, I can already feel some of that old nervous spark and passion.
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