Seneca: How shameful when an aged advocate dies in…

Work can give structure, service, and real satisfaction. The problem begins when it becomes the only evidence that our life matters. Then every request feels urgent, every handoff feels threatening, and rest looks like a loss of identity. Seneca's image is deliberately harsh: a person who never learned when enough was enough. Consider whether you are building a life that can survive a change in title, schedule, or capacity. Teach someone what you know. Document the work only you can currently do. Make room for friendships, interests, and responsibilities that have nothing to do with your output. This is not a call to care less about your craft. It is a call to remember that you are not identical to your role. Today, finish an important task well, then deliberately give part of your attention to the wider life that work is meant to support.