How do we live a meaningful life, at each stage, particularly when things change and our previous plans no longer fit? Jim Collins explores this question in What to Make of a Life.
He writes that we all experience times of cliffs, fog, and fire. Cliffs change the life we've known. (Think of death, divorce, job loss, and any catastrophe.) Fog is the nearly universal uncertainty that follows a life cliff. However, fire is the passion and purpose that can help us re-engage and use the setbacks, disappointment, and loss to continue to do good and do it well. We often need to rediscover ourselves and our unique gifting to find the roles that fit who we are after an earlier chapter has ended.
The book relays ten years of research into people who faced major turning points. Collins discusses pairs of people who had similar circumstances and made different choices about what came next. These turning points weren't simply setbacks. They opened new directions and purpose using what they had.
This book addresses practical questions. How do we find sufficient financial support for the work that is most meaningful to us? How do we move forward when the path is unclear? How do we continue to keep our energy and creativity flowing as we grow older?
Living a meaningful life is an ongoing opportunity. We must keep discovering who we are, pursue what ignites our passion, and be willing to change course when circumstances change. At whatever age and stage of life, there is meaningful contribution in front of us if we are willing to rediscover it and pursue the activities that give us the most fulfillment.