How To Find Meaning As a Single, Childless Man Over 40

No family, no significant other. Will it always be this bleak?

Whenever I meet one of my friend’s kids, and they grab my finger, I always think about how new fathers say that’s the moment their life changed. I get it, but what if they think my finger is a sausage and want to eat it?

I don’t have any kids, so I don’t know how bloodthirsty they are, but I understand the power of that moment. It imbues one’s life with meaning because now you aren’t living for yourself; you’ve got a brand new person you’re responsible for in perpetuity.

I’ve done the math. I’m 41. I’m single, possibly sterile, and I have very little money. The chances of me meeting a woman, dating for several years, living together, deciding to get married, and having a child is a decade-long affair.

I’d have to get a lucrative job, meet someone who isn’t self-destructive, and by the time we get to the point where kids are on the table, I’m well into my fifties. It doesn’t sound like it’s in the cards for me, but that’s okay. I’ve accepted my place in the world and found purpose in other areas.

Here are some ways to find meaning if you’re a single, childless man in his forties.

Get in exceptionally good shape.

One thing I’ve noticed about dads my age is they’re usually in terrible shape. It comes with the territory. I can’t imagine the stress of a job and the responsibility of keeping a child alive. I’d imagine that physical fitness isn’t high on the list of priorities.

I won’t go into all the details about why exercise is good for you in every possible way, but what I find most compelling about working out is attaining the discipline to make it a top priority.

Don’t consider getting shredded your end goal; dedicate yourself to the process. Tell yourself that you’re doing something that most people don’t do, and you’re doing it way more than they can ever dream.

Fall in love with your routine; the health benefits, mental clarity, and ass you can bounce a quarter off of will follow. Anyone can go to the gym, but few ever achieve pure discipline.