I'm not sure whether its an age-specific thing or just one of the pitfalls of the successes of the Western world. There seems to be an awful lot of people walking about with spiritual poverty. Its a shock to get to one's 30s or 40s and realise that your life has no purpose.Money can bring you fleeting happiness, but never the deep inner peace we long for as humans.

'Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realise we cannot eat money'....Its a shame we are never going to get to this point, its a valuable lesson worth learning.

Juno, London,

I'm 35 in a couple of months and feel this. I'm not very high up the coporate food chain, but then, I've never wanted to be.

My personal opinion is that we are all driven to achieve too much too soon. If we paced ourselves, rather than seeking instant gratification then we'd have the energy to do all those other things - have the family, enjoy a social life, and so on. However, society has sped up - to beyond that with which we can keep up.

I also believe that we would feel more engaged with life and work if the content of our jobs was of higher quality. Much of the work we are asked to do these days is in fact glorified administration. I believe that if we were able to get good quality employment, in which we were able to create, solve, and see the results of our efforts then we would derive far greater satisfaction, and feel more fulfilled.

Otherwise, Kat of Kent - I agree with you.

Adrian, Macclesfield,

I had a successful career - catapulted to senior management at a young age.
I realised that if nothing changed I would have to tread water for a long while waiting for one of the top jobs. For some this is fine, for others the view from close to the top is not so attractive, for others there is the realisation that working for themselves, for the community ( teaching, care work, voluntary sector) or in another location is appealing.
As for timing, this can appen anytime but 40 is still a milestone and there is a sense that changes made before 40 are easier.
We have one life but it, and our working lives are long (and getting longer). Crises can be good, maybe occassionally self indulgent but often a catalyst for positive change.
Think of the philanthropic activity that starts with an individual asking- Is this all there is?

HM, Beijing, China

My grandmother taught me that the only people who get bored are boring people.

My husband is going through this sort of thing right now. For years I have told him that chasing after the bigger paycheck wouldn't make him happy. He was convinced that more money would equate to greater happiness. He now spends every night playing video games and rarely even joins me for a meal. So much for money being the key to happiness.

Selfishness is a portion of the problem, but the larger part is that we've neglected to understand that family is not the building block, social connections are, and we have neglected those and isolated ourselves instead of being part of society.

No wonder everyone is so miserable. We're all lonely and we can't stand ourselves.

Kambry, Houston, TX

It's surely just that age old thing of realising how quickly one's life passes? I think that's also part of the traditional mid-life crisis? Heavily endebted, and encumbered with children (much as I love mine, this is simply the truth) - it seems impossible to do more than wistfully dream of a few years hence when some choices might open up.

Seth, London,

I must then assume that yoga, vegetarianism, and the conspicuous throwing away of one's TV have failed to take care of these problems? After all, these are some of the most fashionable reactions to the meaninglessness of it all...please don't tell me that all of that neo-faux-asceticism didn't do the trick!

Ian, Washington, DC

I'm 36 and the neverending treadmill of work-eat-sleep is certainly getting to me. It's tedious, predictable and soul-destroying. I can't get excited about working harder and getting promoted just to have more money to buy unnecessary things. Materialism and selfishness predominate in Britain but quality of life is still poor due to social breakdown and isolation. I plan to emigrate in search of better quality of life, which does not simply correlate with more money.

Ben Garside, Loughborough, Leics

I totally agree with Laura and Kat. I'll be 35 in a couple of months and am really content with my life. I worked my socks off through my twenties and early 30s in order to scale the career ladder; however, it's allowed me to become relatively solvent and, more importantly, to do a job that I enjoy and find fulfilling. Key for me has been to balance work with my personal life as much as possible - my career is important, but so is my partner, my friends and family, and having some 'me' time.

Tanya, London,

This article is ridiculous. If your life is emotionally empty and vacuous but full of money and work than YOU filled it with the wrong stuff. Deal with it and move on. Maybe go hang out in Zimbabwe or Palestine for awhile then and see how boring and empty you think your life is. Maybe you could spread some of that useless money you have too much of around, share it with people who live "exciting" "meaningful" lives who could use a little financial help.
Try getting involved with your community and the world around you instead of just yourself and I think that so called "crisis" will disappear. This is "thrisis" one of the most self indulgent nonsensical things I've heard of in a long time.

jacqueline, Gaithersburg,

Thrisis? I am 26 years old and have begin to feel some personal and professional tremors. Welcome to the twensis ......Looks like the mid decade life crisis is creaping earlier than ever

maddrew, London, UK

Well done, Kat, I totally agree with you. The people who get bored at the age of 35 are the ones who have always considered their job or their relationship as the only relevant feature in their lives. Why wait until this age to realise that it takes many things to fulfill life, and that money don't bring happiness, just less stress?
I'll be 35 in August, I am quite content and I don't like Sudoku.

Laura, London

Laura, London,

Hmmm. I just managed last month to pay off my 2006 tax bill. I am 4 months pregnant with twins but my casual teaching contract doesn't allow me maternity leave. Someone smashed in the back bumper on the car and we have to scour ebay for a cheap replacement. We can't get a loan for the house because my employer prefers me on a renewable yearly contract...

and yet...I'm happy. But I tell you what, with all this, I am NOT BORED

There's nothing about these people's angst that could be considered a true phenomenon.

Boredom, perhaps, but a boredom that comes from not appreciating what you've got and not having the imagination to create new goals and objectives for yourself .

Perhaps the original goals themselves were the worng ones?
We grew up in the greedy 80s remember.

....try getting a threat of bailifs for an overdue bill and try that for excitement..

Bored? self indulgent? spoilt? Surprised that money and success can't buy happiness? As simple as that ,I think.

kat, Kent, UK