Psychology says people who feel purposeless after 50 aren't lost - they've simply outgrown a self that was built entirely around what other people needed from them - Silicon Canals

"Most of what you think is 'you' is actually just a collection of everyone else's needs. You become a provider because your family needs security. You become the reliable one because your boss needs dependability."

"When I first retired, I was a mess. No schedule, no emergencies to solve, no crew depending on me. I'd walk around trying to figure out who I was without the roles that had defined me for so long."

After retirement, individuals may struggle with identity loss as they transition from roles defined by others to self-discovery. Many people become what others need, losing sight of their true selves. This realization can lead to feelings of purposelessness, which is a necessary step towards understanding one's own desires and identity. Midlife crises often involve reassessing life choices, but this process is more about shedding external expectations than experiencing a crisis.

Read at Silicon Canals