Arthur Brooks and Finding Happiness is About Finding Purpose
A bit ago, I watched a class with Arthur Brooks, and there’s something that he said in there that was so powerful that I wanted to share it with everyone, but also not pad it with my own words and story around it.
He said,
“Once you have a strong sense of coherence, purpose, and significance, you have a good answer to the question what is the meaning of my life.
And being able to answer that question does all kinds of good things for your happiness, from improving your mood to lowering your likelihood of depression.
Knowing your life's meaning can even reduce terrible suffering, and maybe even save your life.
That's the amazing message in the famous book Man's Search for Meaning by psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl.
Frankl observed that a person who knows the why for their existence will be able to bear almost any how. Being happy or having a happy life does not ensure that you will not experience pain or discomfort.
In fact, you need pain and suffering at times to help you understand what matters most to you, and allow you to survive and thrive.
People often find that meaning in life rises after painful or traumatic events.
This is referred to as post-traumatic growth.
After traumatic events, people often experience increases in personal strength, seeing new possibilities and a greater appreciation for life.
This is not to diminish the pain of trauma or suggest that we should seek it out.
Don't look for suffering.
It will find you.
But we shouldn't spend our lives trying to avoid it or neutralize it.
If your purpose is to avoid pain, paradoxically, you'll not live fully or find meaning, which is central to true happiness.”
To find out more about his work, you can click on his website link above. I know though, that often when I feel lost, it’s because I feel like I’ve lost my purpose or that I have no purpose. That understanding often helps me find it (the purpose) and my happiness all over again.
I hope that works for you, too. This link from the Greater Good is all about that—about finding your purpose. Hopefully, it might help you if you’re looking!