What Would You Do If You Had a Million Dollars?
I read Don’t Believe Everything You Think yesterday, and there was a question that reminded me of one I’ve asked many friends: “If I had infinite money, had no fear, and didn’t feel the need to receive any recognition, what would I do or create?”
My version is a little different, but I’ve always loved the Office Space question: What would you do if you had a million dollars? 😊 If you’re just sitting around with friends having fun, you can stop with a simple answer, even if your answer is “absolutely nothing.” There are no wrong answers in this game.
But if you are using the exercise to discover what genuinely brings you joy, “nothing” is just the beginning. What does nothing mean to you? Are you sitting on the couch staring at a white wall? Probably not. Maybe you’re puttering around your garden, reading, binging Netflix, fishing, or spending more time with friends.
When Your Work Starts to Feel Like You
A few weeks ago, I wrote about women in midlife who are trying to figure out what comes next. I’ve been thinking about that again because, for the first time, I understand why some entrepreneurs become workaholics.
I’ve overworked plenty of times before, usually because of stress, loyalty, obligation, or feeling responsible for making sure the work was done and the team was cohesive. But this feels completely different.
Lately, I’m having trouble pulling myself away from the work because I’m so excited about what I’m building. Ideas wake me up early in the morning. I keep thinking of one more thing I want to plan, write, create, or talk through. I feel almost giddy, which is not a word I normally use.
Nothing Is Wasted
When “fine” stops being enough, one of the first fears that can pop up is wondering if changing direction means it was all a waste.
Questioning the years of energy dedicated to a career, a home, a role, or a life you once thought you wanted. That fear can keep people stuck for a long time because no one wants to feel foolish or look back and wonder why they spent so much time trying to make something work.
I see this with women who have stayed with one company for years, even when the work no longer fulfills them. I see it with small business owners who have poured so much into an idea that it feels painful to admit it’s time for something else. I see it with people who built the dream home, raised the kids, and then feel confused when a part of them wants something different.
When Fine Stops Being Good Enough
There comes a time, especially in midlife, when “fine” isn’t good enough anymore.
Maybe you’re burned out in your career, semi-empty nesting, considering a total life change like moving abroad, or your changing hormones have made it harder to keep people-pleasing and smoothing everything over. Whatever the reason, there comes a point when you can’t keep pretending this is enough.
It can feel like exasperation, frustration, overwhelm, or just plain exhaustion. It can leave you wondering why something that used to feel manageable suddenly doesn’t and thinking, “What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I decide? Why can’t I just be grateful?”
It’s confusing because so often there isn’t one obvious thing wrong. And if you’re not surrounded by people going through something similar, you can feel misunderstood, unseen, or ungrateful for even questioning things.
Trying to Figure Out What Comes Next
I’ve had a run of conversations lately with women who are not exactly lost but are trying to figure out what comes next for them.
These women are not lacking skills or experience. They may have worked, raised kids, moved countries, supported partners, adapted, and kept a lot of things moving, but that does not make it easy to answer the question of what comes next.
By midlife, most of them are not looking for work just to stay busy. They’re trying to build a life that fits who they are now, not who they were ten or twenty years ago. That can be uncomfortable because there is rarely a simple path from the life you had before to the one you want now.
