Last week, I wrote about a paper written by the Philosopher Susan Wolfe regarding the question, “Is there meaning to life?” She distinguished between two possible meanings: meaning of life, and finding meaning in life.
Here’s her definition: “Meaningful life is one that is actively and at least somewhat successfully engaged in a project (or projects) of positive value.”
- Active engagement: Wolfe explains this as a state beyond going through the motions. If you are stuck in a mindless job, but still continue to go to it, you may not be actively engaged in it. On the other hand, if you lose track of time doing your work, whatever it is, (sort of what Dr. Csikszentmihalyi calls the Flow State) you would be actively engaged with it.
- Successful engagement: Success here refers to a feeling of accomplishment at the conclusion of said project.
- Positive value: This is mostly from the perspective of the one who engages in the said project, but at the same time, not just for hedonic purposes. Even if the project is to play a round of golf with friends, at least the positive value is strengthening relationships with others. One doesn’t have to be Mother Teresa to add positive value to the world.
I have mentioned before that I have a non-financial retirement planning program that is based on Positive Psychology. The reason Wolfe’s paper has so well resonated with me is because it aligns almost perfectly with my program. If you have been thinking about these life questions as you approach retirement, reach out to me. Let’s explore meaning in our lives together.
Have an excellent week!
