I have run out of goals. It’s a satisfying, but disturbing problem to have. No kidding. I wanted to live in Florida. Been there, done that. I wanted to be in the Army; being medically ineligible, working in the defense business had to serve as a substitute. Done. I wanted to write about space. I’ve done it and continue to do it. And now my current dream job is stretching into year three, slowing down, and I’m out of goals. What else can I do?

It could be a mid-life crisis, of course, though I’m not looking for the 25-year-old girlfriend and the red sports car. Instead, I’m looking to do something important with my life. What does that mean? It means I’ve gotten past all the dreams I had in high school, and that I need to visualize my future from a more adult perspective. The path I’ve taken to get where I am has been long and most unexpected in places, but again, I can’t deny that I’ve managed to do pretty much everything I want to do.

So now what??? I can tell you that there aren’t many books out there addressing this particular problem. Most career planning books assume that you’re dissatisfied with your career path and want to change dramatically–say, from banking and finance to carpentry. I could stay in the space business until I retire, albeit not with my present employer. I’m just suffering moments of boredom. In some ways I’ve outgrown my dream job.

I’m trying to find non-space-related hobbies, though that’s not easy. I have so much free time that I end up volunteering for stuff simply because I haven’t got any excuse not to. I want to travel overseas, and will once my bills are paid off, so I’m looking at taking a class in a foreign language or being an ESL tutor for someone here. Will that be enough? Will I, God help me, have to start teaching next as a way to pass on a legacy? I’m obviously not going to be having children anytime soon, and my family doesn’t read what I write anyway, so what can I leave the world that will make a difference?

And the spiffy part of these questions is: I’m only 40. I’ve got another 40 years (or thereabouts) to go. That’s a long time to muddle through without a plan. Guess I’d better get started on one. I’m not the sort to retire.