Tired vs. Unfulfilled: A Wake-Up Call for Your Soul
I used to think my lack of motivation and energy was due to fatigue. On days when I dreaded getting out of bed, snoozed my alarm ten times, or found even basic tasks to be insurmountable mountains, I attributed it all to being tired. I felt lifeless—just meh. Yet, despite sleeping eight hours a night, the feeling didn’t go away. Eventually, I realized that what I had labeled as being "tired" was actually a lack of fulfillment. (Though, to be fair, sometimes we really are just tired!)
I was unmotivated and disconnected from life because I wasn’t doing things that held value for me. I dreaded tasks because they didn’t align with who I was, and I felt lifeless because my authenticity was slipping away.
I wanted to share this because if your life feels pointless or exhausting, it might be a sign that you’re not living in alignment with what is meaningful to you. Take some time to reevaluate the people and things in your life. This isn’t about simply finding activities you enjoy or avoiding discomfort—it’s about living with purpose.
As Viktor Frankl wrote in Man’s Search for Meaning: “What man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for a worthwhile goal.”
Ask yourself: Do I need rest, or do I need to reconnect with what matters most to me?
When your life aligns with your values and purpose, even the smallest tasks can feel significant. The goal isn’t to eliminate all struggle (which is impossible)—it’s to ensure that your struggles are meaningful.
I recently saw this painting by Philippe Rousseau (1816–1887) at The National Gallery in London, and it reminded me how deeply subjective ‘meaning’ is. People dedicate their lives to creating things that resonate with them, and I want to be one of those people.
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It’s amazing how often we mislabel disconnection as fatigue, as if our souls are whispering for meaning, but we keep hitting snooze. The way you tied this to Rousseau’s art is beautiful — proof that meaning isn’t universal but deeply personal. Here’s to striving not for ease, but for significance in the struggle!
Here, the advice from Steve Jobs fits so well.
“Every morning, ask yourself, ‘If today were my last day, would I want to do what I’m about to do?’ If the answer is ‘“no”’ too many times, it’s a sign to reassess your choices and prioritize what truly matters to you.”
Or one can simply imagine living the same day for eternity.