When I explain how the meaning of life is growth, it is one of those moments where it’s both too obvious and simple to want to believe but also too vague and non-specific to be satisfying. Unfortunately, no matter how much scientific evidence you have, people will always fall back on their emotions about whether something feels
Read MoreWhile this blog is intentionally focused on helping you figure out your life for yourself, many people do want hints at to what they should care about in life: goals to have, things to focus on or prioritize, or just simply what to do. While everyone’s life goals will be different, there is, fortunately, a short list of things that everyone in...
Read MoreA popular position to take in life is that of the “realist”—meaning you try to set real expectations and not get your hopes up because they might get crushed. It is a middle ground between optimism and pessimism, where in the former you try to see life events in as positive as a light as possible and the latter in a negative light. The pessimist...
Read MoreThere is a famous saying, “This, too, shall pass.” Whether you are going through good times or bad times, those times will change. The interesting thing about that is that it is a double-edged sword: if you’re suffering, you (of course) want them to change; if you’re are having a blast, you don’t want the fun or joy to
Read MoreIn my book, The Meaning of Life: A guide to finding your life’s purpose, I cover what people mean by “meaning” when they ask that question. The number one thing they mean by that is, “What goals should I have?” While “meaning” can refer to definition, purpose, significance, goals, or ethics, the one people most mean is goals. Why? Because...
Read MoreYou know the cliché 80s montages, right? The one where the protagonist has an urgent goal, a burning desire, and the belief that, with enough work, they can succeed. So they buckle down and put in the work until they are ready, at which point the day of the text or competition arrives and they succeed. Audiences love those kinds of movies because...
Read MorePeople worked for thousands of years to build up society so that the average person's life is easier and easier. Microwaves, sedentary jobs, air conditioning, and similar modern conveniences have made it so that life is safer and easier to manage than ever before. While this is mostly a good thing, it does create one huge issue: people's lives...
Read MoreThere is a statement that will tell you everything you need to know about life. It explains the point and, therefore, how to approach it. It’s three simple words: “And then what?” When you understand this statement, you’ll understand life. There’s a famous video game series, Civilization, where the goal of the game (one of them, at least) was to...
Read MoreTwo of the biggest issues in life are figuring out what you want to do and then building the motivation and discipline to do it. The first is well-known in psychology as “paralysis by analysis” (or, more colloquially, analysis paralysis). Life goals are the ultimate option-heavy decision because there are an infinite number of ways to live your...
Read MoreSome people run four miles per day and eat salads, while others watch 5 hours of television and eat popcorn. Some people study two hours per evening, while others play two hours of video games. Some people perform chores every week, while others buy new clothes for a year straight instead of doing laundry. What is going on here, and how can you...
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