Meaning

Meaning

First, Seek to Understand

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, March 8 2023

Resolving conflicts has never been easy, but it feels like in a world where you can live in your own world that you never have to talk to someone who ever disagrees with you. Even debates are no longer really two people having a conversation to try to influence each other but rather each person talking to an audience to score points and "own" the...

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Meaning

Finding Meaning Where Others Don’t

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, February 1 2023

When I was growing up, I cannot tell you how many times I heard the "be willing to go above and beyond in everything you do" speech around everything from school work to employment to athletics. The idea is that if you work just a little harder than your competition every day, you will eventually be much, much further in your progress. My most...

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Meaning

Conflating Ethics and Meaning Can Create a False Sense of Progress

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, October 19 2022

Every well-adjusted person wants to be viewed as a good person. “Good” in this case means ethical. Everyone follows rules to live their lives optimally, and ethics are rules to follow when other people are involved to maximize your own growth while minimizing any harm done to anyone else in the process. But is that enough to find meaning and fulfil...

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Meaning

And Then What?

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, August 3 2022

When talking about the meaning of life, you always have to start by defining your terms.  Why?  Because people almost always equivocate when you don’t.  You can look up the definition of life in the dictionary, for example, and no one will claim that that’s what they meant.  In addition to the literal definition of life, other meanings of “the mean...

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Meaning

“Meaningless” Sex and “Senseless” Violence

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, June 22 2022

I find it very strange that I get two main responses to my book: “That’s obvious,” and “That’s definitely not it.” I get that people can either agree with you or disagree with you and that it’d be pretty contentious being on a topic like this, but what surprises me is how people treat the answer to what many people believe is life’s biggest questio...

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Meaning

Own Your Choices

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, June 15 2022

Depending on how you count what a “choice” is, you’ll make hundreds of thousands to billions and billions of choices in your lifetime.  Choices include the big ones like which school to go to, which jobs to apply for, and whether or not you marry or reproduce as well as the little ones like where you focus your attention at any given time or whethe...

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Growth

Take People on the Journey

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, April 20 2022

Everyone knows that people love a good story.  It helps them learn, remember things, and stay engaged in a presentation or conversation.  But why is it such a more impactful way to convey information than simply stating facts, such as “2+2=4”?  Because the story is a journey, and effective engagement, influence, and relationship-building follows th...

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Meaning

To Find Greater Meaning in Life, Help Others

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, April 13 2022

This might seem like one of the most profound questions anyone ever asked themselves: “How do I find greater meaning in life?”  After all, it sounds like a grand mystery that will never be solved.  Yet it has one of the simplest, most straightforward answers: help others.  How can this be, and why is that the only possible answer that could ever ex...

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Meaning

Why Do You Even Need to Find Meaning in Life?

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, March 16 2022

When people are busy with school, work, extracurricular activities, and keeping a roof over their heads, they might not have time for much else.  Consequently, they might wonder what people are doing being reclusive and pondering their existence.  After all, why do people think about the meaning of life instead of simply living?  Well, there are tw...

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Planning

Dying Before You Are Recognized

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, December 29 2021

Everyone dreams of getting recognized for what they’ve done or the kind of person they are.  Many people throughout history inspire people today for all that they’ve done for humanity.  However, there is one depressing reality about many of those people who are revered for their accomplishments: so many of them never achieved even remotely the leve...

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