How to Find Meaning in Life (3 Questions That Change Everything)

Have you ever wondered:

• Why do I feel unfulfilled?

• Is there more to life than this?

• How do I actually find purpose in life?

You’re not alone—and you’re not the problem.

Most people are chasing goals, staying busy, and doing everything “right”… but still missing one critical piece:

👉 Meaning.

In our latest video, inspired by The Meaning of Your Life by Arthur Brooks, we break down the 3 essential questions that help you uncover purpose, direction, and fulfillment.

The 3 Questions That Create a Meaningful Life

According to the research, meaning comes from three key elements:

1. Coherence — Why do things happen in my life?

This is how you make sense of your experiences and your story.

2. Purpose — Why am I moving in this direction?

This defines your goals, your motivation, and whether your actions actually align with what matters to you.

3. Significance — Why does my life matter?

This is your sense of impact—how you contribute to others and feel connected to something bigger.

👉 When these three are aligned, life feels clear, energized, and fulfilling.

Why So Many People Feel Lost Right Now

We’re living in a time where:

• Social media replaces real connection

• Busyness replaces intention

• Achievement replaces meaning

It’s easy to fall into the trap of chasing:

• Money

• Status

• “What’s next”

…without ever asking why.

And that’s where disconnection starts.

The Shift That Changes Everything

There are two types of “success”:

• Resume success (money, titles, achievements)

• Eulogy success (how people remember you, how you impact lives)

Most people focus on the first.

👉 Meaning comes from the second.

🎥 Watch the Full Video: Finding Purpose and Meaning in Life

In this conversation, we go deeper into:

• Why people feel unfulfilled even when life looks good

• How to discover your real purpose (not the surface-level version)

• The balance between success and fulfillment

• How to stop chasing and start actually living

👉 Watch the full video and reflect on these 3 questions for yourself.

Final Thought

You don’t need a new life.

You need a deeper understanding of the one you’re already living.

Start with one question:

👉 Why?

Transcript (created with AI)

Hey everyone, we are diving into this amazing book, The Meaning of Life by Arthur Brooks. He’s an incredible researcher. He’s written a previous book, and this is his next one to follow up on that—more of the practical side, I would say, the implementation of all of his research and what we can do to live a more joyful, fulfilled life.

But why aren’t we? That’s what all the research is showing us.

The book is a very easy read. I will say I’m listening to it, and Joan is reading it in book form. We really started reading this and were like, “Holy crap, this is a great conversation point.” So we’re going to be recording a video per chapter, doing a book club-esque experience.

If you want to read or listen to the book, comment on these videos so we can have this engaging conversation. These are life-changing data points and things to actually start implementing into your life to live a more joyful, happier, more fulfilled life through your meaning and your purpose.

What’s so interesting to me about this book is I would never have purchased it. I’m not on a search for the meaning of my life. I feel like I’ve come to some different understandings, and I’ll share that later.

But the reason Colleen and I decided to read this book is because we’re bumping up against a culture that is not showing up in person. We’re hosting events, asking people to come out, connect, be real, be live, be authentic—and there’s resistance to it.

We’ve gotten so busy doing a lot of things, which has been common for years. But the new thing now is that we’ve got these outlets that we believe are filling that void of connection—like social media and even television.

So yes, the meaning of your life is very important. I think for us as humans, we need to feel like we’re here for something.

Colleen and I have that feeling, and that’s what brings us so much joy. Our lives feel good because we’re acting in accordance with what fulfills our definition of purpose and meaning.

We discovered that over time. In my 20s, I didn’t necessarily know what my purpose was. I just knew I was really good at leading people in group activities. That was my zone of genius, and I loved it. So I kept doing it across different populations and modalities.

That gave my days meaning. I was excited to wake up because I knew I had to bring myself joy and help others fulfill their purpose through what we were doing together.

It’s funny, because I remember when I was 18, back in the 1900s—yeah, I’m from the 1900s, be patient with me—I remember thinking, “Is this all there is?”

People going to college, going to work, having families… I just felt like there had to be more. That’s when I started my quest to find meaning and understand life. And honestly, I’m still exploring.

I feel like I’ve come to some great understandings, but I’m still on a zest for life. I want to soak it all up.

And I think it’s important to realize that purpose evolves. You’re not just going to say, “My purpose is this,” and do it forever. Maybe it’s true for a few years, then it shifts.

Humans are always growing, always seeking novelty, always learning. You gain new perspectives, new skills, and your path evolves. That’s normal.

The idea that you only have one purpose or identity just isn’t true. You have multiple purposes depending on your life stage.

In this first chapter, “The Meaning of Meaning,” he breaks down three key elements:

Meaning = coherence + purpose + significance.

Coherence is making sense of things that may not make sense. It could be trusting that something happened for a reason or feeling something like love that isn’t logical but just is.

Purpose is having goals and direction. Think of your life as a journey and your purpose as the map. Without it, you’re meandering, lost, without direction.

Significance is the sense that your life has value—to yourself and to others.

Together, these create meaning.

He then gives three questions to reflect on:

1. Why do things happen the way they do in my life? (Coherence)

2. Why am I moving in this direction? (Purpose)

3. Why does my life matter? (Significance)

These questions help you examine your actions, your beliefs, and whether you’re living intentionally or just following what society expects.

He also talks about two types of significance:

Resume virtues: achievements, money, power, status.
Eulogy virtues: how people remember you—your kindness, generosity, and impact.

Our culture pushes resume virtues. But what truly matters is what people say about you at the end of your life.

Not “she owned a business,” but “she gave back, she cared, she impacted lives.”

That’s real significance.

He also offers a quiz to assess where you are:

• Presence score: how much meaning you currently feel

• Search score: how actively you’re seeking meaning

You can have both. You can feel aligned and still be searching.

But there’s a danger in constantly searching. You can get stuck chasing “more” and miss the present.

Social media feeds that. It makes you feel like you’re never enough, never doing enough, never experiencing enough.

But sometimes, you’ve already found your sweet spot—and it’s okay to stay there and grow from it.

There’s also this tension between wanting something different and appreciating what you have.

I remember feeling frustrated about where I lived, wishing I was somewhere else. But over time, I realized this place was perfect for my kids and for my life.

That shift—from resistance to acceptance—changed everything.

Because when you’re constantly wishing things were different, you ruin your present experience.

To wrap it up:

Happiness = enjoyment + satisfaction + meaning
Meaning = coherence + purpose + significance

And meaning is experienced in two ways:

• In the present

• In the search for it

We’ll see you in Chapter 2.