What gives your life meaning? Is there an inherent purpose to life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the biggest questions in philosophy concerns the meaning of life. Your life’s purpose is the thing that you strive for\u2014the reason you have goals and make decisions every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re wondering what gives your life meaning, keep reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
In Man\u2019s Search for Meaning<\/em><\/a>, Viktor E. Frankl says we can\u2019t ask “What gives your life meaning?” as though there\u2019s one universal answer that should be satisfying to all of us. We can\u2019t generalize what life is. The tasks of life, and consequently the meaning of life, differ for every individual<\/strong>\u2014no two people experience the same life.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The meaning of life differs from person to person. Moreover, every situation in your own life is unique and different from the last situation you encountered, and may require different decisions on your part to shape your fate. So, we have to ask this question specifically to ourselves at this specific moment: \u201cwhat is the meaning of my life <\/strong>right now<\/em><\/strong>?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re having trouble finding out what gives your life meaning, we can help you find the answer. But, before getting into what the true meaning of life is, we\u2019ll first look at why finding your purpose<\/a> is beneficial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finding what gives your life meaning opens up many doors for you. In Find Your Why<\/em><\/a>, Simon Sinek<\/a> discusses three benefits of knowing your purpose<\/a>. He discusses purpose as it relates to work, but his messages can be applied on a broader scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. When you know your purpose,<\/strong> you can identify what fulfills you<\/strong>\u2014that is, it makes you feel like you’re part of something bigger and that your work matters. Sinek believes that everyone, no matter their role or status, deserves to find fulfillment.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Knowing your purpose makes you<\/strong> more persuasive<\/strong>. Your energy and commitment to your purpose are contagious, so whether you want people to hire you, buy from you, or work with you, having a clear purpose<\/a> helps you pitch your ideas in ways that sound more meaningful and attractive to others. For example, nonprofits that effectively communicate their purpose inspire people who believe in it to volunteer their time and skills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In a context outside of work, communicating your purpose to others may persuade them to believe that you\u2019re worth helping if you ever ask for assistance on something important or time-consuming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Knowing your purpose helps you<\/strong> make better decisions<\/a><\/strong>. Your purpose works as a compass directing you to the right opportunities\u2014those that further your purpose\u2014and keeps you from time and resource drains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, instead of taking on a client who\u2019s difficult to work with and tarnishes your reputation, you\u2019ll realize ahead of time that their values don\u2019t align with yours, and you\u2019ll therefore avoid them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What if you\u2019re not sure what gives your life meaning? Well, Aristotle, in his work Nicomachean Ethics<\/em><\/a>, says that happiness is what gives life meaning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n He arrives at this conclusion by examining the nature of human action. Aristotle claims that the purpose of all human actions is achieving some kind of good<\/strong>\u2014that is, we do things because we think they are the \u201cright\u201d or \u201cbest\u201d thing to do in a given circumstance. However, these \u201cgoods\u201d exist in a hierarchy: If the reason we do action A is so that we can then do action B, it follows that action B is better than action A\u2014action A is just a means to an end. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Aristotle concludes that the top of the hierarchy of \u201cgoods\u201d is a means that is also<\/em> an end\u2014something that we want for its own sake. This ultimate good, he argues, is happiness. <\/strong>Since happiness is the highest good, the reason for all action inevitably leads back to it. If you ask someone why they want to be happy, they can\u2019t and won\u2019t provide another, greater reason. Because happiness is the ultimate good, it follows that a good life is a happy life and vice versa. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Aristotle concedes that many people agree that happiness is the goal of human life\u2014the real challenge is defining<\/em> happiness. He defines happiness as rational activity aligned with virtue. <\/strong>To explain this definition, we\u2019ll look at each of its parts: reason, virtue, and activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aristotle claims that to judge how good something is, you need to know its \u201cdefining activity\u201d: what it (and only it) does. For example: Saying someone is a \u201cgood\u201d violin player is a judgment of their ability to play the violin\u2014the activity that a violin player (and only a violin player) does. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Reason (the ability to think logically and make choices based on that logic) is the defining activity of humans.<\/strong> All of our other actions aren\u2019t unique to us. To list a few: Our ability to move, reproduce, fulfill basic needs, or perceive the world around us are also things that other animals (and in some cases, plants) can do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, no other animal or plant can think logically or make logical decisions. Humans (and only humans) can do that. This makes reasoning our defining activity, and, therefore, the standard we can use to judge how good a human is. A good human is good at reasoning. A good human, by definition, lives a good life\u2014and a good life is a happy life. Therefore, reason is necessary for happiness.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Aristotle cautions that reasoning alone isn\u2019t enough to be happy\u2014it also must be correct<\/em> reasoning. Someone who always makes the worst possible decisions won\u2019t live a happy life<\/a> even though they are using reason (albeit poorly). <\/p>\n\n\n\n What Aristotle means by correct reasoning is reasoning aligned with \u201cvirtue.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Since \u201creasoning\u201d means making choices, \u201creason aligned with virtue\u201d means making the <\/strong>right<\/em><\/strong> choices. <\/strong>If we make the right choices in life<\/a>, it means we\u2019re good at reasoning\u2014and are therefore happy. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Aristotle separates virtue into two main categories:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reasoning aligned with virtue still isn\u2019t enough for happiness\u2014a person also must consistently act <\/em>on this reasoning. Goodness, explains Aristotle, can\u2019t exist separate from objects or actions\u2014it makes no sense to call a carpenter good if he\u2019s never built anything, for example. Therefore, action is necessary for a good life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, one or a few actions isn\u2019t enough. Aristotle claims happiness requires consistently<\/em> good actions over an entire lifetime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari<\/em><\/a> by Robin Sharma, concentration is the core of mental mastery. <\/strong>You must be able to take all of your mind\u2019s power and focus it on a single task<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you understand concentration, you are one step closer to finding your purpose in life<\/a>, which is happiness. The secret to happiness<\/a> is to find what you love doing, then concentrate all of your energy on doing it. <\/strong>When you find what you really want to do, your work will seem like play, and it will energize you instead of draining you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sharma maintains that that doesn\u2019t mean you have to quit your job, sell everything you own, and go searching for your passion\u2014but try shaking things up. Leave your comfort zone and do something out of the ordinary. Stop being so practical and logical, and try some of the things you\u2019ve always wanted to do.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, we\u2019ll look at three exercises Sharma gives for maintaining your focus to find what gives your life meaning. These exercises use the example of Julian, a hotshot-lawyer-turned-monk, and his former colleague John, the former of which is teaching the latter the secrets to enlightenment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n John asks for practical techniques that he can use, so Julian teaches him a meditation<\/a> technique called the Heart of the Rose<\/strong>. You can do this exercise yourself, with nothing but a rose and a quiet space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take your rose and stare at the center of the flower. Think of nothing but the rose. Notice its color, shape, scent, and even its texture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Other thoughts will intrude at first. Accept them, and return your attention to the rose. With practice, those intrusive thoughts will come less frequently and eventually stop completely as you strengthen your mind<\/a> and your focus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A second powerful technique Julian teaches John is Opposition Thinking:<\/em> <\/strong>Whenever a negative thought occupies your mind, dismiss that thought and replace it with a positive one. <\/strong>It\u2019s a simple exercise, but it requires persistence and vigilance to be effective. <\/strong>Try not to let even a single negative thought take root in your mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Find a quiet place, close your eyes, and simply breathe until you feel calm and your mind is clear. Then visualize, as clearly as you can, the person you want to be<\/a>. For example, if you want to be happy, see yourself laughing<\/a> and smiling. If you want to be brave, see yourself acting boldly at a decisive moment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This exercise is grounded in the idea that your mind attracts what you think about.<\/strong> Therefore, if there is a lack in your life, it\u2019s because there is a lack in your thoughts. This exercise is designed to make sure that you\u2019re attracting the right things. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While teaching Julian, Yogi Raman<\/a> called this phenomenon of attracting what you think about joriki<\/em>, which means \u201cconcentrated mind.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Everyone wants to make a living doing meaningful work<\/a> that aligns with their values and makes them happy. However, many people feel stuck<\/a> doing unfulfilling work. They hope that once they find their \u201cpassion,\u201d everything will magically fall into place. Designing Your Life<\/em><\/a> by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans explains how you can find work you\u2019re passionate about so you can find happiness and meaning in your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first step to planning your life more purposefully is evaluating your life as it is now, pinpointing what you\u2019re happy with and what you want to improve. This helps you focus on what changes you want to make before moving through the rest of the steps. Burnett and Evans suggest reflecting on and rating (from one to 10) your satisfaction in four areas: health<\/em> <\/strong>(mind, body, and spirit), work<\/em> <\/strong>(paid and unpaid), joy<\/em> <\/strong>(relaxation and happiness), <\/strong>and relationships<\/em> (your ties with other people).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ideally, your ratings for all four areas are high and in proportion to each other. If they\u2019re not, make a note of areas where you need to create more balance and satisfaction. For example, you might have a high rating for work and low ratings for relationships, joy, and health. This indicates that you\u2019re prioritizing work over all else, and improving your life will require focusing on these other three areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve identified which areas of your life need improvement, the next step is rationally determining what improvements you can make by separating uncontrollable factors from actionable problems. Burnett and Evans explain there are some things in life you simply can\u2019t change\u2014attempts to do so waste energy and lead to frustration. Accepting these unchangeable factors allows you to focus your energy on actionable problems you can<\/em> change and improve. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After identifying problems you want to (and can<\/em>) solve, the next step in purposefully planning your life is developing an awareness of your priorities. Burnett and Evans explain that this is an important part of the process because there are so many paths you can pursue in life\u2014your priorities act like a GPS that guides you toward paths that align with what you care about and feel right<\/em>. Let\u2019s explore the reasoning behind this step in more detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve defined your priorities and understand how to assess the coherency of potential paths as you move forward, start investigating activities that make you feel good. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As you begin this step, keep your options open and look for <\/strong>many<\/em><\/strong> activities that feel good<\/strong>. Burnett and Evans explain that there are many paths available to you at this point, and your eagerness to move forward may influence you to pick a single path without fully considering if it has the potential to satisfy you or if it\u2019s the only thing that will bring you joy. Taking time to clarify the many<\/em> things that satisfy you will help to prevent this rash focus on one path. Further, restricting yourself to a single source of joy and thus a single destination at this early stage of the purposeful planning process will prevent you from engaging in the wide-ranging exploration throughout the following steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari<\/em><\/a>, Sharma teaches that the first step toward finding happiness<\/a> and meaning in your life is setting clear and specific goals. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Do this right now: Take a piece of paper and write down some specific <\/em>long-term goals. Write whatever comes to mind at the moment\u2014you can always reevaluate your list later. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Having a list of goals will help sort through the clutter of your daily thoughts so that you can focus your attention and energy on what\u2019s important to you. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Benefits of Finding Your Purpose<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Aristotle Says Happiness Is the Goal of Human Life<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Defining Happiness<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Reason<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Virtue<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Activity<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Robin Sharma on Finding Your Happiness <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Exercise #1: The Heart of the Rose<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Exercise #2: Opposition Thinking<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Exercise #3: Visualizing Your Ideal Self<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Finding Meaning With Passionate Work<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Assess Your Life<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Identify Actionable Problems<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Define Your Priorities<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Pay Attention to What Feels Good<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. Set Clear Goals<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Reaching Your Goals<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n