My Findings on — Unlocking Mid-Life Fulfillment: Break Free from Burnout and Find True Purpose
My mind works in mysterious ways. I let something bug me; it bugs me deeply!
A few years ago, on my routine drive to work, a seemingly insignificant moment led to a profound shift in my life. I had A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose on Audible playing in my car then. Traffic was at a standstill (all urban cities of the world have horrible traffic, and it will only get worse), and as I sat there, watching the cars inch forward, I suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of unease. That book had specific deep points on what purpose and fulfillment can be, questioning everything I had planned to do in life. It wasn’t just the frustration of being stuck — it was deeper than that. I asked myself, Is this all there is? I had been following the script: a good education, a stable career, financial stability. Yet, at that moment, I felt disconnected from the very path I had worked so hard to build. I had to do something. That entire day
This wasn’t a dramatic breakdown but rather a quiet realization that something was missing — a subtle nudge that began my exploration into what it means to find fulfillment, especially in the middle of life. I suspect many of you reading this might have felt the same at some point. Maybe it’s a nagging feeling, or maybe it’s as clear as day: something’s off, something’s incomplete. That drive to work was just the beginning of my reflection on what it meant to live a life of purpose truly. As I began to explore, I found myself diving into the words of various authors and thought leaders who helped me navigate this unsettling stage of life.
One of the first books that really resonated with me was The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield. It talks about paying attention to coincidences and the idea that these subtle moments guide us toward a deeper understanding of life. That feeling I had on the road wasn’t just discontent; it was life nudging me to question, to dig deeper. As I began reflecting on my career, I realized I had been chasing goals and external validation for years without stopping to ask why. The book helped me see that perhaps this discomfort was part of something larger — a coincidence urging me to seek more meaning beyond the surface.
But recognizing that something is off is only the beginning. The journey toward finding fulfillment is often a difficult one, and this is something I learned through The Road Less Travelled by M. Scott Peck. Peck doesn’t sugarcoat life’s challenges; he speaks the truth that personal growth is inherently painful. For me, this was a wake-up call. For years, I had avoided discomfort, believing that a smooth, successful career equaled happiness. Peck’s words challenged me to reconsider: was I growing, or was I just going through the motions? That mid-life crisis moment was really an invitation to embrace the discomfort of growth, to recognize that fulfillment comes not from escaping challenges but by walking through them.
As I delved further into my reflections, I began questioning the very notion of success. I had spent years accumulating achievements — promotions, raises, titles — but was any of this truly aligned with my purpose? The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles added a new layer to my exploration. The book talks about wealth not just in terms of money but as an expression of creativity and contribution. It forced me to ask: was I creating something meaningful, or was I accumulating? Wattles’ words made me realize that real wealth, real success, is about more than just financial gain. It’s about living fully and creating something valuable that aligns with who we truly are.
This led me to question another deeply ingrained belief — that my identity and self-worth were tied to my career. The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer hit home for me here. Singer’s message is about freeing ourselves from the chains of external validation. For so long, I had been chasing titles, praise, and approval, but what The Untethered Soul made clear was that true freedom comes from letting go of these attachments. It’s not that career achievements are unimportant, but when they become the sole measure of who we are, we lose sight of our inner peace. This idea of detaching from external definitions of success became a key turning point in my journey.
Still, letting go is easier said than done. There’s fear in stepping away from what we know, from the identities we’ve constructed around our careers and successes. That’s where Broken Open by Elizabeth Lesser offered me comfort. Lesser’s book is about transformation through adversity — about how life’s challenges, whether dramatic or quiet, are opportunities to break open and evolve into something new. I began to see my own mid-life reflections as less of a crisis and more of a call to evolve. Lesser’s stories reassured me that it’s okay to feel lost, that it’s okay to question everything, because these moments of uncertainty often lead to the greatest growth.
But perhaps the book that tied everything together for me was Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose. Tolle speaks about the ego and how much of our suffering comes from identifying too strongly with it. Looking back, I realized that much of my career had been driven by my ego — the need to be seen, to be successful, to be “somebody.” But this constant striving is exhausting, and it’s a trap many of us fall into by the time we reach our 30s and 40s. Tolle’s words gave me the clarity to see that purpose isn’t something we achieve by chasing external markers of success. Purpose is something we awaken to by being present and contributing from a place of inner alignment.
Incorporating these reflections into my life hasn’t been a linear process, but it has been transformative. I began to shift my focus from achieving to creating. I started paying attention to the subtle signs and coincidences that life offers, recognizing that every discomfort, every challenge, is an opportunity to grow and align more deeply with my true purpose.
But reflection alone wasn’t enough — I needed practical steps to move forward. Here are a few strategies that have helped me along this journey:
- Take time for self-reflection regularly: I insist you do this with your partner or yourself once weekly. I and Veena do this subconsciously and regularly. It sounds simple, but in the busyness of life, we rarely take time to pause and reflect on what’s truly important. Setting aside even 15 minutes a day to journal, meditate, or simply think deeply has allowed me to stay connected with my inner compass.
- Set goals that align with your deeper values: Career goals are important, but they should be aligned with your values and purpose. Rather than chasing the next promotion or raise, ask yourself: does this align with who I want to be? Does it contribute to something meaningful? If you have questions or need help, I’m always here to help out.
- Embrace discomfort as part of growth: Growth isn’t easy, and fulfillment often comes from the challenges we face. Instead of avoiding discomfort, embrace it as a sign that you’re on the right path. Every struggle is an opportunity to learn and evolve; as my grandfather said, “Aaram Haraam Hai” (rest/pleasure is forbidden).
- Let go of external validation: This is easier said than done but is essential. I know a lot of people for whom material and social validation is paramount to their peace of mind. I hate to say this, but most of my family thinks I'm wasting my life in a startup, passing the time, or living off of my wife’s salary, or that I'm a loser, etc.; only if they googled my name, they’d know. Nevertheless, I do not care what anyone thinks! The more we tie our self-worth to external achievements, the more we distance ourselves from true fulfillment. Practice letting go of the need for approval and instead focus on your internal journey.
- Stay open to change: Life isn’t static, and neither is our purpose. Be open to the idea that your path may change over time, and that’s okay. Allow yourself the freedom to evolve. That, my friend, is true growth.
Throughout this process, I’ve also been fortunate to encounter other people navigating similar mid-life reflections. One is my mentor, coach, and best friend, Dipankar. His experiences reinforced a crucial lesson: the journey to fulfillment is deeply personal, but it’s also universal. We all reach a point in life where we start questioning, where the road ahead feels less clear, and where the old definitions of success no longer satisfy. Whether it’s a friend who is working hard, planning his financials, stuck in with a bad boss or fearing recession, or struggling work-life balance, or someone who left a high-powered corporate job to start their own business, or a colleague who decided to pursue a creative passion after years of working in a stable but unfulfilling career, the stories I’ve heard highlight that we are not alone in this quest. Everyone’s path looks different, but the underlying desire for a life of purpose is something we all share. There is no right or wrong! Every path may be different but the journey is what everyone has to endure.
Ultimately, what I’ve learned is that fulfillment isn’t a destination we arrive at once we’ve ticked off all the boxes. It’s a continuous journey, one that requires us to stay curious, open, and willing to grow. It’s about finding the balance between external success and inner peace, between career achievements and personal evolution.
And so, as I continue down this road, I remain committed to the path of self-discovery and purpose. This isn’t about rejecting career goals or the pursuit of success — it’s about aligning them with something deeper. The drive that sparked these reflections was just the beginning of a journey that continues today, and I hope that sharing my experiences might help others who are navigating the same questions. We may not always have all the answers, but perhaps that’s the point. The journey to fulfillment is one of exploration, and it’s in the act of exploring that we find what we’re truly looking for.
If you like to read more, you can read my book. If you want to learn about becoming resilient, read my first book. You may also follow me for more such findings.
