A Life That Matters

Published on by J. Kelland Perry

 “It doesn’t matter who we are, what we are doing and what our station in life is, we all have the ability to contribute to something beyond ourselves and (to find) purpose in doing so.” – Emily Esfahani Smith, author of The Power of Meaning: Crafting a Life That Matters.

According to Smith’s research, it isn’t happiness that makes life worth living – it is meaning. It is rising each day with a purpose. As simple and as uncomplicated as that sounds, I wonder how many of us have been chasing the wrong thing.

Is developing a “meaning mindset” the only true answer to achieving fulfillment?

Living on auto-pilot, or chasing mostly what brings you pleasure, or working long and crazy hours, driving yourself to exhaustion to conform to someone else’s definition of success – do any of these pursuits sound like happiness to you?

Or have you already figured this out?

Have you found your meaning?

25 thoughts on “A Life That Matters”

  1. Thank you for sharing this inspirational post, I feel sometimes that I have something hidden inside myself deeply. Your post is encouraging me to search for that mysterious stuff. Well written, Jennifer!

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  2. The spanish poet Antonio Machado said in one of his most memorable poems: “Walker there is no path, you make the path as you go” … I guess our goals and meanings might change as we live on… At least it has happened to me… A very inspirational post here, Jennifer… Love & best wishes ⭐

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  3. In boiling down our created reality–in cynical fashion– Life is very pointless. The point of this pointlessness is simply to ‘experience’. Wherever this ‘rollercoaster’ brings us, meaning isn’t found UPON the ride, but WITHIN the ride itself. Thanks for sharing your words, GK.

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  4. Reminded of what Joseph Campbell said: I don’t think it’s meaning that every one is seeking. I think it’s the feeling of being alive.”
    Which, of course you can get by having a purpose, but Campbell cuts straight to the core.

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    1. Thanks, Karen. It’s really simple and common sense, but so true. How sad to live a life with no direction. And as the quote states, this applies to everyone. Sometimes the smallest things can give meaning and matter a great deal to someone else.

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  7. Ah, the eternal quest for a meaningful, purposeful life (but not overly purposeful lest we slip into mindless busyness). Whatever we seek, let’s all start by being kind … not only to others but ourselves as well.

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    1. Hi Marlene, those are great points. I believe a life with purpose and meaning would be anything but mindless. It would also take us outside ourselves so that we can’t help but take others into account. At least that is my perception of what Smith’s book is telling us.

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  10. You just clarified something I’ve been thinking for years. I reject ‘happiness’ as a life goal because too many people aren’t happy. What’s that mean about them? I have embraced ‘passion’ which is just like meaning. Thank you, Jennifer.

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