That’s true. A sense of purpose is incredibly important, and today, most of us get that from our jobs. But does it have to be that way? I think if you look at artists they’ve always understood the difference between a job (pays the bills) and the work that is one’s life’s work. TS Elliot worked as a banker (until Ezra Pound raised a fund to help him quit his job and write poetry full-time), Vonnegut worked in PR, Henri Rousseau worked as a toll collector. They all had jobs, but it was their work that gave their lives a sense of purpose.

Eventually, they were all lucky enough to make a living off of their life’s work, but I can imagine a version of the future where we don’t need to be talented writers or painters to get to spend time doing the things we love vs. earning a living.

I think a lot of us today find meaning and purpose in our jobs because we we need to work and we have good jobs that provide us with meaningful friendships and make us feel valuable, but it can’t possibly be the only way to find a sense of purpose in life, right?