The Meaning Of Life

Growth

The Growth-Centric View of Meaning Is Everywhere in Our Language

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, November 4 2020

It's the world's biggest secret that's hidden in plain sight: life is about growth, and everyone intuitively knows this.  The source of the leak?  Language.  Our idioms, expressions, platitudes, sayings, and questions.  We guide the younger generation to realize their potential, and we help rising leaders develop the skills and abilities they need...

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Meaning

What Do You Do If You Have No Purpose?

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, September 23 2020

"I [feel like I] don't have a purpose."  It's a common statement from people who don't have the direction that they wish they had in life.  It's definitely difficult to turn it around when you are overwhelmed by a sense of aimlessness, but it is possible. First, it's important to note that you always have a purpose; it's just not clear.  I've advis...

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Truth

Don't Confuse the Goal, Morals, and Happiness in Your Search for Meaning

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, September 16 2020

In my 30 years of studying psychology, philosophy, religion, and how the world works, one thing always bothered me: every system that exists to give you a comprehensive view of how life works or how you should live always lays it all out as one complete package without explaining how the concepts relate to each other.  For example, if you believe t...

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Meaning

5 Pieces of Evidence Suggesting a Growth-Centric View of Meaning

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, August 26 2020

The growth-centric view of meaning is a relatively new model that has come after years of focusing on ethics, utility, or happiness in philosophy, economics, and psychology (respectively). There have been hints of this view for centuries in science and business, but it had not been seriously considered because of the natural "Why? To what end?"...

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Meaning

Understanding What Drives Your Sense of Fulfillment in Life

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, August 19 2020

As you may know, there is both an online version and a printable version (both free) of the Meaning Assessment that is found in The Meaning of Life: A guide to finding your life's purpose.  The assessments are meant to give you a pre-book baseline so that you can take it again afterwards and check for post-book improvement in your grasp of the eigh...

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Meaning

Defining Meaning

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, August 12 2020

While it might not seem like the most interesting topic to define terms, but anyone looking for the meaning of life or more meaning in life needs to define what that means to them.  As simple as it might seem, there are many things that you might mean with that question.  As a result, you might get advice that you don't find useful because you are...

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Meaning

Creating More Meaning in Your Life in 8 Simple Steps

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, July 29 2020

Instilling your life with a greater sense of meaning and purpose—it sounds like a monumental feat.  Most people think that they have to identify a "moonshot" goal like curing cancer to give their lives significance.  Usually, this process involves some personal or societal judgment as to what is meaningful to pursue.  However, meaning is subjective...

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Meaning

Ikigai: A Japanese Philosophy of the Meaning of Life

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, July 8 2020

Ikigai is a term that roughly translates into "the meaning of life" due to its belief that it originates from words meaning “to live” and “the realization of what one hopes for”.  While this is a word that has many possible interpretation, in this post we're going to break down the two popular ways that people understand/define this concept and wha...

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The Meaning of Life

5 Incorrect Conclusions About the Meaning of Life

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, June 3 2020

Because the meaning of life has been asked by billions of people, dozens and dozens of conclusions have been drawn about what it is for them and for society. While meaning is personal and unique to each individual, many people have come to conclusions about what the meaning of life is for all humans or all life on Earth. The Meaning of Life: A guid...

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Meaning

8 Reasons Life Can Seem Insignificant and Meaningless

Nathanael Garrett Novosel, May 20 2020

You may experience down periods in your life where you wonder what it all means.  A tragic loss, a major failure, or a brutal setback can deflate your enthusiasm and hope for your future and success.  Alternatively, you could just enter a lull period where you lose your zest for life and motivation.  Let that deflation consume you, however, and you...

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