We all want to live more meaningfully, but most of us don't know how to find that metaphorical promised land. Oftentimes, that's because we don't have a list of things that we feel "passionate" about. In fact, we envy those select, lucky souls that do.
Finding things that feel meaningful can be difficult if we don't think about it in a structured way. But, so far, what I've found is this:
"Meaningful" is not about what's important. It's about what's uniquely and disproportionally important to you.
The Trifecta of Meaningfulness
In this weeks video, I talk through a lightweight framework that I've been using to focus my pursuits. There are 3 things you need to find in a job or activity in order for it to feel "meaningful." These are:
Identity: Some piece of yourself; it could be related to your personality, character, culture or faith. The first things that pop into your mind when you think of who you are as a person, will likely be the most accurate components of your identity. I suspect that many of us don't get a sense of deep meaning from our day jobs, because we don't actually feel our identity in it -- and therefore, we don't derive pride from it. Meaningful pursuits feel personal.
Contribution: Something that you disproportionally enjoy doing or contributing to. I think people often get tripped up on this one. We don't know what we like to do because we're shackled to a mental model of practical careers and jobs. But, don't limit yourself when brainstorming. For example, you may find it really satisfying to stand up for underdogs, mediate arguments, play the cello or throw parties. If it's unusual and seemingly impractical as a "job," it can still be a good clue into a meaningful pursuit that could one day become a career.
Community: Some group of people that you feel camaraderie with. This may overlap with pieces of your identity, but keep in mind that this "community" you feel affinity for doesn't necessarily need to even know it's a community. For example, in the video, I mention the community of "20-somethings going through a quarter-life crisis." We don't exactly hold quarterly meetups. But, I know this population exists from chatting with individuals here and there, even though we're not formally organized.
Money and Meaning
If you watch this video, you may understandably ask yourself the following question: Where does money fit into all of this?
Money is important, of course. But, too often, it's the barrier we put on ourselves to finding and doing more meaningful things. We slam the door shut on many meaningful pursuits because the vision for monetization isn't immediately obvious. Do not do this.
Finding meaning in life is hard enough as it is. Don't complicate it by making money a hard initial requirement. Instead, focus your initial effort on discovering the types of activities that bring you a deep sense of fulfillment. Find your intersection point across identity, contribution and community, first. These pursuits will sustain your motivation long enough, so that you can later think through monetization. I, for one, started making YouTube videos long before I started doing commercial videography work.
Meaningful pursuits are challenging
There's one final thing to keep in mind when looking for meaningful pursuits: Meaningful work requires work.
Too often, we give up on finding meaningful things because we assume that the things we're passionate about are always fun. But, meaningful pursuits are not leisure pursuits. Meaningful living is not easier living. In fact, it may be substantially more difficult.
The good news is that this is the precise feature of meaningful work that makes it so satisfying. Challenges are satisfying because they offer a barometer for self-improvement.
As kids, we think much more in these terms. We strive to complete a difficult level in a video game, or we challenge ourselves with finally landing a kick-flip on a skateboard. But, as we grow older, our capacity for discouragement in the face of challenges dwindles. We are "mature" adults. We understand how to get things done. But, this also means that challenges require us to actively seek them out.
So, remember -- the trifecta of identity, contribution and community will help you find the things that feel important to you. But, coupling it with a capacity for difficulty, is what will make completion of your pursuit all the more meaningful.
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