In 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...
Read MoreThere’s a famous story about the elevator buttons that are designated to close the door: many of them don’t do anything. The running joke is that it’s a placebo making riders feel like they have control while also spending the waiting time doing something, thus increasing rider satisfaction but not actually changing the wait
Read MoreWhat are you supposed to do with your life? It’s a big question that’s become more common more recently since we live in a modern world of relative luxury where want has trumped need to a certain extent. Historically, it was to do whatever was required of you to survive: hunt, forage, construct shelters, etc. Recently, however, with both freedom...
Read MoreThere are many books on how to go after what you want in life. From specific step-by-step instructions in the how-to guides to more universal recommendations in philosophy, religious, and self-help texts, advice for how to get everything you want in life abound. However, texts on how to figure out what you want in life are less common. There are...
Read MoreThere are times in your life when nothing can seem to be more important than that one thing in your life: that job you're applying for, the big game, or that test coming up. You can win championships, graduate from school, or make your first million dollars. Heck, you can get that bike you wanted more than anything for Christmas. No matter what...
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