Same age, situation and feeling here too. Unfortunately I have lost my drive for intellectual and creative pursuits, though. I've got a point where I've already figured out all the things I was curious about in my youth and no more have been added to the list. It just doesn't seem worth it with nobody to share life with.

I'm considering volunteering for something to make myself useful. One of things missing for a solitary man is being useful. I don't need anything. I live a very minimal life so all my problems are sorted and new ones don't crop up very often. I've accepted that love won't be happening but maybe I can at least feel appreciated.

> I have lost my drive for intellectual and creative pursuits, though. I've got a point where I've already figured out all the things I was curious about in my youth and no more have been added to the list. It just doesn't seem worth it with nobody to share life with.

I completely feel you on this. And for months at a time I have been lost without any. Inspiration is hard to find, but it's out there I think. Competence plays a big factor. It's no fun to do things you suck at, but you've grown bored of the stuff you ARE good at. Basically I have to commit to a slog (like an instrument) until momentum is built, or find something with immediate gratification (like reading about a salient topic in my life).

In either case, it's just a coping mechanism I think, not a solution.

Volunteering makes total sense. I think we're really good at doing things for ourselves but that stops delivering after a decade of succeeding at that. Many people cite helping others as central to the meaning in their lives.

I hit 34 recently too, if you ever want to talk about pursuits and interests outside of of $DAYJOB hit me up. I'm trying to rediscover the ancient art of pen pals in the age of social media.