A third meaning-based argument against immortality invokes considerations of narrative. If the pattern of one’s life as a whole substantially matters, and if a proper pattern would include a beginning, a middle, and an end, it appears that a life that never ends would lack the relevant narrative structure. “Because it would drag on endlessly, it would, sooner or later, just be a string of events lacking all form….With immortality, the novel never ends….How meaningful can such a novel be? Notice that this objection is distinct from considerations of boredom and repetition ; even if one were stimulated and active, and even if one found a way not to repeat one’s life in the course of eternity, an immortal life would appear to lack shape. In reply, some reject the idea that a meaningful life must be akin to a novel, and intead opt for narrativity in the form of something like a string of short stories that build Sober House on each other (Fischer 2009, 145–77, 2019, 101–16). Others, though, have sought to show that eternity could still be novel-like, deeming the sort of ending that matters to be a function of what the content is and how it relates to the content that came before (e.g., Seachris 2011; Williams 2020, 112–19). Another reason given to reject eternal life is that it would become repetitive, which would substantially drain it of meaning (Scarre 2007, 54–55; May 2009, 46–47, 64–65, 71; Smuts 2011, 142–44; cf. Blumenfeld 2009). If, as it appears, there are only a finite number of actions one could perform, relationships one could have, and states one could be in during an eternity, one would have to end up doing the same things again. Even though one’s activities might be more valuable than rolling a stone up a hill forever à la Sisyphus, the prospect of doing them over and over again forever is disheartening for many.

The Cynical life rejects conventional desires for wealth, power, health, and fame, by being free of the possessions acquired in pursuing the conventional. As reasoning creatures, people could achieve happiness via rigorous training, by living in a way natural to human beings. The world equally belongs to everyone, so suffering is caused by false judgments of what is valuable and what is worthless per the customs and conventions of society. Sociology examines value at a social level using theoretical constructs such as value theory, norms, anomie, etc. One value system suggested by social psychologists, broadly called Terror Management Theory, states that human meaning is derived from a fundamental fear of death, and values are selected when they allow us to escape the mental reminder of death.

Taking the Lid Off your Emotions, Love your Past and Present Self

Antisthenes, a pupil of Socrates, first outlined the themes of Cynicism, stating that the purpose of life is living a life of Virtue which agrees with Nature. Happiness depends upon being self-sufficient and master of one’s mental attitude; suffering is the consequence of false judgments of value, which cause negative emotions and a concomitant vicious character. You will enjoy a deep sense of significance and satisfaction only when you have exercised your responsibility for self-determination and actively pursue a worthy life-goal. Based on the premises of non-materialistic explanations of the mind, some have suggested the existence of a cosmic consciousness, asserting that consciousness is actually the “ground of all being”.

It requires you to really be honest with yourself about how you live your life. You may have to make big changes to get to that sense of purpose, and it is a journey that you will spend your whole life on. Likewise, a life that has meaning feels purposeful and significant. Feeling as though your life is meaningless can lead to depression and hopelessness. Finally, to give meaning and purpose to your life, choose to live by a set of principles, beliefs and values which are uniquely yours. Prioritising what is important to you and making that your focus allows you to simplify life and live it with passion, rather than trying to fill the jar with meaningless things that ultimately do not matter. Like Woodling, he would argue that goals are insignificant, and that accomplishments are not what makes our lives matter. But unlike Woodling, he suggests meaning comes from being a product of the world itself. And detractors might argue that nothing can matter, given the immensity of the universe and the brevity of our lives.

Method 2 of 3:Pursuing Purposeful Goals

First, in terms of identifying our motivation before we begin any “scene,” it can be helpful to think about what our deepest values are at the start of each day, and how we can use those values to motivate us toward actions as we go through our day. Teachings from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy encourage us to identify what we most value in different areas of our lives and use this as motivation to pursue what is most important, even if that means tolerating some discomfort along the way. As an example, one of the things I value is being able to share ideas and help others discover greater well-being. This motivates me to keep writing blogs and put my writing “out there” how to create meaning in life in cyberspace, despite some discomfort and worries about what others will think. Have you ever felt like you are just going through the motions of your day, not fully engaged with your life? Or perhaps it is easy to stay in your comfortable, familiar routine and not change things up because stepping out of your comfort zone is, well — uncomfortable. This is a common experience as we get caught up in our daily routines and day-to-day lives. People create local groups for like-minded individuals, and these groups indulge in professional interests (e.g., entrepreneur support groups), physical activities (e.g., hiking), and social interests (e.g., opera lovers or book clubs).