Reflecting on the past has always been something that I have been good at, whether it be considering a mistake which I may have made in an interaction with someone or simply a mistake made when playing basketball. I can often see positive changes that I could have made, which would have led to a better result. But as we know, there are no magic time machines to redo the mistakes that we have made. 

Turning 40

When I turned 40 I did the same kind of reflection and considered some of the main areas of my life. Here are the areas that I looked at and my initial thoughts on each of them. 

In a nutshell I was NOT HAPPY with my life. From the research that I have done it looks like I am not alone in this.

The U–Shape of Happiness

Many people in their 40s experience an unexpected dip in happiness.  This can include a sense of being stuck, restless, or disgruntled. This isn’t just a personal struggle, it’s a well‑documented psychological pattern. Economists Andrew Oswald and David Blanchflower analysed wellbeing data across more than 70 countries and found a consistent U‑shape of happiness: life satisfaction declines through the 30s and 40s before rising again in the 50s and beyond. Author Jonathan Rauch later expanded on this in The Happiness Curve, showing that midlife unhappiness is not a crisis but a natural, predictable turning point.

When you reach your 40’s there are many areas where your life changes and there is an increase in responsibilities such as your career, finances, family pressures, ageing parents etc.  During this period the gap between youthful expectations and lived reality becomes impossible to ignore. You’re old enough to see what hasn’t happened yet, but young enough to feel the pressure to make it all happen now. That tension creates the dip. But Oswald, Blanchflower, and Rauch all highlight the same powerful truth: midlife dissatisfaction is often the catalyst for reinvention. It pushes people to reassess their priorities, redefine success, and build a life with more purpose, alignment, and authenticity.

Personal Responsibility 

My Prime Quarter is a chance for me to be accountable and to take personal responsibility for my own life and the position that I am in. Whilst doing this I am also hoping to help others and create a community of men who are ensuring that when they reach their 40’s it is not the beginning of the end but the catalyst for change.  

For myself and for my family I do not want to be like the research by Oswald and Blanchflower. I want to ensure that the next 20 years of my life are something that I can look back on with pride. So expect some honesty and vulnerability about the position that I am in and join me as I take this journey.