When ‘Doing Well’ Doesn’t Feel Well
Maybe the next step isn’t higher up but a little further out.
Over the past few months, I’ve had a few heart-to-heart conversations with friends, people who, by all means, have “made it.”
They’re doing well in their careers, financially comfortable, in good health, and surrounded by loving families.
But beneath all that, there’s a quiet confession that keeps surfacing , “I don’t know why, but something still feels missing.”
It’s not burnout.
It’s not a mid-life crisis.
It’s more like an invisible hollow that sits under the surface. And what’s interesting is that I’ve heard the same feeling echoed by people on both ends of the spectrum, those who are just starting their careers and those who’ve already achieved what they once dreamed of.
I’ve thought about this a lot, and one pattern I keep noticing is how easy it is to get trapped in what I call the “me-zone” constantly managing our own goals, to-do lists, and small wins.
It’s comfortable, familiar, and even productive, but it quietly shrinks the world around us.
In my own experience, the moments that have felt most alive weren’t when I was chasing something for myself, they were when I was part of something bigger.
When I stepped out of my little circle and offered time, energy, or skills to someone who needed it.
That shift from inward to outward has a way of filling that quiet hollow with meaning.
This week, I came across this article from Harvard Business Review that beautifully puts into words what I’ve been feeling. The idea is simple but powerful. When we look beyond ourselves and contribute, even in small ways, we reconnect with a sense of purpose that achievement alone can’t give.
If you’ve been feeling that strange quiet too, maybe this one’s worth a read.
(Click the below link to read)
Looking for a Sense of Purpose? Volunteer.
That’s it for this edition. Wishing all who celebrate a bright and meaningful Diwali!
Manoj
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