Unexpected takes on the modern world of work. Paul explores our obsession with work and the default path of success and tries to imagine new possibilities for how we can conceive of life, work & what matters.
NEC's view
Pathless is Paul Millerd’s long-running newsletter on work, meaning, and choosing alternatives to the default career path. What sets it apart is its refusal to sell shortcuts or hustle logic. Instead, it looks honestly at what happens when you step off the “success script” and try to design a life that feels more aligned.
Rather than handing out quick wins, Pathless explores the trade-offs of living differently: financial uncertainty, social friction, and the ambiguity of self-direction. But it also highlights the freedom, creativity, and deeper satisfaction that can come with rejecting optimization culture.
It resonates with us because it shares the same curiosity about livelihood as practice, not just survival or accumulation. It’s useful if you’re rethinking your relationship to work, or if you’re simply looking for grounded reflections from someone who’s been walking away from the default for years.
