I often feel like I’m just existing for the hell of it, working to keep on existing. What are your thoughts?
Men, do you ever feel like you’re existing for the sake of it? If so, why is that?
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I often feel like I’m just existing for the hell of it, working to keep on existing. What are your thoughts?
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I often feel like I’m just existing for the hell of it, working to keep on existing. What are your thoughts?
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Yup.
Just my opinion of course, but I think you need to find out what you like in life.
Explore new things and hobbies until you discover what that is.
Mine are playing guitar, singing, and a few others.
I work, workout, and do my chores… then I do what I truly enjoy. It has made life so much better. Before I had these things, I was depressed and unfulfilled.
Not a guy here but I just have to chime in. I always feel so bad when I see posts like this. Our modern world is set up for guys to just fail all the time and everywhere. It just breaks my heart.
Defubuteky feekubg tgat
I often feel like I’m existing despite my best efforts and intentions. I’m putting in so much work to continue on because that’s what you’re supposed to do and because it would be nice to delay my few friends and loved ones the pain that comes with loss. I don’t feel like there’s a point to it, that it doesn’t and couldn’t ever matter, and I continue more out of existential inertia and a fluke of neurology than any other reason. I persist under protest.
Can’t go until dad does.
You need dreams and goals. Don’t stop dreaming and set yourself some goals to get there. Start small and work your way up.
It could be anything. Is there a place you always wanted to visit? A car that you always wanted to take for a spin? Something you always wanted to try like skydiving? A mountain you wanted to sit at the peak of, bring out a sandwich and a beer from your backpack and enjoy the sunrise?
You’re not alone, brother. A lot of us feel like we’re just grinding through life. But even small moments of joy sunsets, good food, a kind word can be reminders that life still has meaning.
I did until I found my wife and then I had kids
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Sometimes I find that the most difficult situations which you think you can’t handle are ones that push you to realize your purpose.
I used to, but getting more in touch with my emotions helped. If you’re not doing what you want, then you are just existing for the sake of it, but if you know what you want and you use that desire to fuel your progress towards the object of your desire, then you’re existing for a reason.
That feeling of existing just to keep existing—
Waking up just to do what you did yesterday,
Not because it matters, but because… what else is there?
And it’s heavy. Not always dramatic. Just empty in a way that wears you down.
But here’s something I’ve learned, slowly and stubbornly:
Sometimes, the meaning doesn’t show up as a lightning bolt.
It shows up as a whisper you’re finally quiet enough to hear.
It’s not about finding a big cosmic reason to exist.
It’s about noticing the tiny pull toward aliveness—
the song that stirs something,
the stranger that makes you feel seen for half a second,
the idea you can’t shake even if no one else understands it.
And the wild part is…
If you follow those?
Even just one of them?
Meaning starts building around you like scaffolding.
Not all at once. But enough to stand on.
So if all you can do today is keep going—
do that. No shame in it. That is something.
But keep your ears open for the whisper.
It’ll sound like curiosity. Or music. Or love.
And it’ll be yours.
That’s when you’ll know you’re not just existing.
You’re becoming.
Used to think I didn’t have a purpose or point. Got older and found someone I wanted to share a life with, turned out that the life we had wasn’t good enough for them. Now I’m back to having no purpose. So yeah.
Yeah, pretty much constantly these days
Pretty much every day. I generally eat some ice cream and that helps.
Sometimes i feel like i only exist for my face to be a seat for my wife, but I really don’t mind
I am done
Yeah at 60 I’m pretty much just marking time until the end comes in whatever form.
On a side note I often feel like I shifted to being an NPC
“Living for the weekend” has become a phrase to criticise having a 9-5 job as some contrast to frolicking in fields or whatever it is people who say it are imagining. In fact, it’s a good answer to the question of the meaning of life. I’m living to spend time with my girlfriend, to pet my cats, to see my Mum and then go on to visit Edinburgh, to see new episodes of Doctor Who, to watch Gloryhammer when they come to visit, to sew more patches on my battle jacket, to finally win that damn pub quiz again, to put a fire in the fireplace when the weather gets chilly again…
I’m existing because existing can be an awful lot of fun.
I know that feeling very well and I don’t enjoy it at all. Not having or not knowing my purpose I think is the reason that I will feel this way. So lately I’ve been asking myself and attempting to find out what my purpose is. The only thing I care about or want is to be happy.
Overworked, vastly underpaid, no social life or relationship
I’m here out of spite. This world is gonna keep spinning after I’m gone. Why not slow it down a bit by sticking around.
Gen X don’t Quit!
i exist to keep my family from suffering if im not there. thats my only purpose
I have been kind of pissed off about it most of my life. Good job on getting cream pied mom, now I got to go to fucking work every day!?!
Nothings normal anymore, my house is not a home, my job sucks azz! I’ve no friends and no lover, and I’m only getting older
It sucks not having a sense of purpose in your life, but it also sucks to have one forced on you. What this means is that you have the opportunity to decide for yourself what the purpose of your life is. Easier said than done, of course.
As a man you need to have some kind of vision, some kind of plan for the future. We are not made for living in the hamster wheel. My own vision is financial freedom and living self sufficiently. I also have other plans: skills and languages I want to learn, countries I want to visit etc. If you are excited for the future, living in the present is not so bad. But yes, nothing has true purpose, objectively. We are just tiny humans on a tiny marble in an infinite universe.
I exist to have fun and to bring joy to those around me.
So anytime I ever feel like I haven’t been enjoying life enough lately, I start looking for ways to change that immediately.
Most men can only experience a full life through having and raising their children. Unfortunately this is more difficult than ever
Single dad here (36m)
I exist purely to be memories for my children.
Heard it in a movie or show and it really stuck with me.
After 2 divorces and several bad relationships I simply live for my kids.
If it weren’t for them I may not exist at all.
Reading these it’s so sad 😞 let’s keep going men. Something has to change soon
A lot of people would like to no longer exist but don’t want to go through with suicide to make that happen.
I’ve been depressed for as long as I can remember. I’ve had insomnia for decades. Lately I’ve been taking 4 extra strength Sleep-Eze over the counter sleeping pills so I can stay asleep for 8-9 hours. I often wake up and go “aww fuck I’m here again.”
We keep going cuz that’s what we do. It doesn’t make us heroic. It just makes us here.
Is that so wrong? I’d rather exist than not.
I have little carnal interest. I’m just hear to do the will of God despite my life taking a downward turn lately.
I do. I have no purpose at the moment, just in limbo
Yep. Most of the year is pretty boring for me and I feel like I’m just waiting in limbo for the next weekend where I pretty much do the same stuff as I did the last weekend. I only really look forward to when my next PTO is or when I go to hang out with my friends a couple times out of the year.
At least lately it’s more enjoyable since losing weight, easier to be happy and feel good about myself.
I’m living to show love to those that I can. Spoiling my wife, her joy is valuable, and seeking every smile I can possibly give her is a purpose worth more than all the riches in the world.
Likewise, I hope that joy can be instilled in everyone, so I do my part in the ways I know how to