I, Chris here, frickin’ love this book! Meaning > happiness; don’t believe me? Give this episode a listen and read the book.

Has there ever been a time in your life where you pondered your happiness or your meaning?

In this episode of the podcast, inspired by The Power of Meaning by Emily Esfahani Smith, we discuss:

• the author’s “Four Pillars of Happiness” (or meaning!):
  • Belonging 
  • Purpose
  • Transcendence
  • Storytelling
• if happiness is more important than Meaning ~or~ meaning more important than happiness.
• the Hedonic Treadmill–a metaphor for the human condition to chase one pleasure after another because the initial feeling of happiness is likely to dissipate over time
• eudaimonia–a Greek word literally translating to “good spirit”, often referring to the condition of human flourishing or living well

Memorable quotes from The Power of Meaning:

• “Someone who has a solid grasp on his identity, knows his core beliefs, his values, and his life goals and how his groups and communities have shaped him–he is able to answer the central question that emerges during young adulthood, which is, ‘What kind of person am I and what kind of person do I want to be?’ And yet identity isn’t static. At every stage of life, he must actively revisit these questions. Toward the end of life that means asking not what kind of person do I want to be, but what kind of person have I been and am I ok with that?”
• “Research shows that when people use their strengths at work they find more meaning in their jobs and ultimately perform better. And when they pursue goals that align with their core values and interests, they feel more satisfied and competent. They’re also likelier to persevere through challenges to actually accomplish those goals. That is, they are more purposeful.”

Other memorable quotes from this episode:

• “What is the meaning of life? That was all; a simple question– one that tended to close in on one with years. The great revelation had never come. The great revelation perhaps never did come. Instead, there were little daily miracles, illuminations, matches struck unexpectedly in the dark.” -Virginia Wolf
• “Faith ties an individual to something larger or even infinite that lies beyond the self–no matter what answers a given faith might provide for us, every answer of faith gives infinite meaning to the finite existence of man. Meaning that is not destroyed by suffering, deprivation, and death.”  – Leo Tolstoy
• “Mental illness is often the result of a person’s inabilability to tell a good story about his or her life. Either the story is incoherent, or inadequate, or it’s a life story gone awry. The psychotherapist’s job is to work with patients in a more positive way. Through editing and reinterpreting his story with his therapist, the patient comes to realize, among other things, that he is in control of his life and that some meaning can be gleaned from whatever hardship he has endured.” -Michelle Crossley