Loss of purpose reduces the ability to think well of yourself. Once a vital goal is lost, every decision is reactive rather than proactive: we either defer indefinitely or attack ideas as enemies.
Another way to say it: When you lose where you are going, you lose who you are. You may retain power, but your decision-making is compromised and reactive, so the decisions of others move you.
attention awareness behavior belief change choice contradiction creativity death desire ego empathy fear forgiveness freedom goals growth happiness identity individuality insight knowledge language life love nature pain perspective politics power present productivity psychology purpose rationality reality reason responsibility self society stress time truth value work