A butcher who lived in the time of Buddha wanted to live a meaningful and purposeful life and wondered how, as a butcher, he could ever achieve that. To him, killing animals felt like the opposite of living a life of meaning and purpose. On the other hand, he had a wife and small children […]
Purpose and Meaning
The Happiness of Getting Acknowledgment By Giving It
Recently, I sent out a survey to readers and email subscribers to ask how I might be most helpful to their finding meaningful, purposeful lives that help the world. I’m still analyzing results and will say more later. But for now, one of the questions was “What obstacles do you face when it comes to feeling […]
A Hint for Bringing Out The Good In Others
The other day I was standing in the crowded New York subway and a man sitting down held up his Daily News and said loudly “Anybody want the paper?” I actually wanted it but was standing and couldn’t really read it. Around me, a lot of people had earbuds in and didn’t hear him. A couple people […]
There Is No Calling in Your Future
1. There is no calling in your future. 2. No one needs you in the future. 3. You can find no satisfaction in the future. 4. You miss your calling to the exact extent you expect to find it in some time other than now. 5. You know what you care about in this world […]
On Feeling Fully Human
I have variously spent parts of my life chasing cash, prestige, experience. I have come up with ideas of what life is for, and clung to them, perhaps because it is to frightening to admit that I just don’t know. Why was I born? Why will I die? What am I for? Many times in my […]
Aligning your corporate career with your values
Many of us pine for meaning and purpose but feel that the only way to find it is to uproot ourselves from our careers and start anew–maybe in a non-profit or maybe as a social entrepreneur. In assuming we must take that approach, we put so many barriers between us an our meaningful lives. I’m an […]
Follow Your Calling in a Meaningless Job
Some of us worry about the world and yet feel stuck. We imagine that the only way to contribute is to completely change the core of our lives. We think, to follow our calling, we need a new career. And maybe we do. But sometimes a change is too hard or wrenching–for now. In the meantime, […]
How to Change a Mind
Those of us pursuing meaning and purpose often find we need the good will of others and to do that we often have to change people’s minds: The best way to cause lasting change is to inspire it. Resist the temptation to argue. People rebel against force. Self-determination is a fundamental human need. So, to facilitate lasting change, […]