Stephen Colbert‘s talk show has finally shut its shop, and he now wants his next gig to be something that would feed “his soul.” The last episode of the late-night show aired on May 21, with Paul McCartney as the final guest. Subsequently, fans have been growing curious about Colbert’s next project. According to a source, he wants to do something that carries significance.

Stephen Colbert ‘wants work that actually feeds his soul’ after talk show cancellation, per source

Industry insider Rob Shuter reported that Stephen Colbert is looking for a soul-satisfying project following the conclusion of his talk show. The comedian is reportedly wondering about his next work after the late-night show. Sources close to him told Shuter that the end of Colbert’s decade-long show has sunk in, with him thinking about the next phase of his life.

“The cancellation shocked him more than people realize. Once the adrenaline wore off, Stephen started thinking less about television and more about legacy, happiness, and purpose,” one insider said. Friends told the outlet that Colbert no longer cares about money, popularity, and ratings after a successful career in the entertainment industry. “Stephen has more money than he could ever need,” the source added. “At this point, he wants meaning. He wants work that actually feeds his soul.”

As per people close to him, television was never truly Colbert’s dream. One insider shared that the theater has been the comedian’s “first love” always. They continued, “TV became the platform, but live storytelling, writing, producing, and creating meaningful work — that’s what excites him most.”

Insiders also stated that film writing, producing, Broadway, podcasts, cultural, and political projects are in discussions behind the scenes. “Stephen isn’t disappearing,” the insider claimed. “He’s trying to figure out how to make the next chapter matter more than television ever did.”

In his interview with PEOPLE, Colbert shared that the cancellation of his CBS show might have “saved” his life. The host explained that “it takes a lot of bone marrow to do the show every day, and now I’ll be stepping down with enough time, enough energy to do other things that I want to do.”