The emptiness many people feel after 70 isn't the absence of purpose - it's the absence of an audience, and those are completely different problems with completely different solutions - Silicon Canals

"The difference between purpose and audience is crucial. Purpose is what gets you up in the morning, while audience is who needs what you've got. When you retire, your purpose might stay the same, but your audience vanishes overnight."

"For forty years, my purpose and my audience were so tangled up, I couldn't tell them apart. My purpose was being useful, solving electrical problems. My audience was everyone who needed an electrician."

Retirees often struggle with feelings of uselessness due to the absence of an audience, despite retaining their sense of purpose. Purpose remains intact, as individuals still desire to help and solve problems. However, the audience that once sought their expertise disappears, leading to a sense of isolation. This disconnect between purpose and audience can create confusion, as many retirees find their identity intertwined with their work and the people who relied on them. The challenge lies in finding new ways to engage and share their skills post-retirement.

Read at Silicon Canals