There comes a point in every man’s life when he begins to sense a shift—a pull toward something deeper, more meaningful. This moment often arises in midlife, a phase that can feel disorienting but is rich with opportunity. It’s a time when we are invited to “make the turn.” What does that mean?
Making the turn is the process of moving from an external orientation—focused on achievement, acquisition, and external validation—to an inward path, where we are called to relinquish what no longer serves us and align more with our inner source. This turn is less about what we can add to our lives and more about what we are willing to release.
Carl Jung described this stage of life as an invitation to “individuation”—the process of becoming who we truly are, as opposed to who we’ve been told we should be. It’s not about striving for more, but about stripping away the false layers we’ve accumulated over the years. We are asked to turn inward, to meet our truest selves. James Hollis speaks of this as “moving from living a provisional life to a life of deeper meaning.”
In the words of poet Mary Oliver, “What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” Midlife offers us the chance to reconsider how we answer that question. While our younger years may have been spent accumulating, midlife asks us to let go—of titles, of ambitions, even of roles we’ve clung to—so that we might rediscover our essence.
Though midlife may feel like a significant turning point, we are invited to make smaller turns each day. Rumi, the mystical poet, invites us to “close the language door and open the window of your heart.” This turn is about surrendering the noise of the outside world and paying attention to the quiet voice within. It’s an ongoing journey, not a one-time event. In every moment, we are invited to “make the turn”—to shift from ego-driven pursuits to soul-led fulfillment.
When we reduce living for acquisition and increase living for connection, for service, for meaning, we begin to live from the source. And it’s from this place that we become a force for good in the lives of others. This is the gift of midlife—an opportunity not to accumulate more, but to connect more deeply with who we are and who we’re meant to be.
If you’re ready to explore this transition, I invite you to connect with me and the work I’m doing to support men like you—men who are ready to grow, to serve, and to make the turn inward toward something greater. You can also sign up to receive weekly insights straight to in your inbox.
