How to Live a Meaningful Life

Just a little rant here:  philosophy classes turn off many college students for a simple reason — they never get around to saying how philosophy can shake your living.  Some classes might teach more on “how to think philosophically,” or “here are the old philosophers.”  Some may speak to ethics or arguments, logic or some other esoteric area.  But how to live, day-to-day?  That is often lost to the student.

(By they way, I would offer this as an issue with much of theology, too.  Lots of talk about what not to do, what God (or gods) might be like, and how to judge how others live… but not so much clarity on living day-to-day.  But that is a rant for another day!)

Anyway, philosophy, as originally taught in ancient days, was exactly for deciding how to live.  How should you act, feel, and think?  As different schools of philosophy might point out, that all depends upon your basic ideas of what a meaningful life might be.

Sometimes, we are already acting in ways that point to our idea of meaning, even without a philosophical basis.  I think of this as our “natural philosophy” — how we have made sense of the world.

After my first book, many people asked if I was a Stoic.  At that time, I had only a passing concept of that philosophy.  Just one of those old schools of philosophy from a bygone age.  But after hearing it a number of times, I started investigating.  Sure enough, much of my approach to living day-to-day was Stoic.  Huh.Vitali Katsenelson, author of Soul In The Game

Then, I started finding others that had this same experience.  One of those is Vitaliy Katsenelson.  He is the CEO of an investment company.  But his story goes back to his family’s immigration to the United States, from Russia, when Vitaliy was a child.  He was old enough to still remember those memories of a dying USSR (and to hold onto a bit of an accent), but young enough to find his way through American culture.

After writing several books on investing (including the psychology of investing), Vitaliy took to talking about life.  Not just professional life.  But other areas of life.  Art, music, chess, and family life were grist for the mill of exploring meaning.

This led to Vitaliy’s latest book, Soul In The Game.  While in the process of writing, Vitaliy stumbled upon Stoic thought and found a new home there.  He incorporates that into this book, to further his exploration into the meaningful life (a slightly different question than the meaning of life).

I had a chance to sit down and chat with Vitaliy about a wide range of issues and topics, all related to how life becomes meaningful, and how to find that meaning.  Listen to this episode of the Thriveology Podcast to find out more.

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Vitaliy’s Website
Vitaliy’s Podcast
Find His Book Here
My Book on Thriving

5 Lessons from 55 Trips Around the Sun

5 lessons I’ve learned from my 55 years on earth. Another year has passed.  I added a year to when I answer, “How old are you?”  Well, at least in theory.  I am an unreliable narrator for reporting my age.  By accident.  But on a repeated basis.

That said, as I recorded this episode of the podcast, and write these words, I am celebrating 55 trips around the sun (and I complain I don’t get to travel much!).

I’m not sure about claiming wisdom, but I do claim some lessons from those years.  Lessons I keep learning and relearning.  Lessons I must remind myself about.  But lessons that matter to my life.

While there are quite a few, 5 seemed to be appropriate for 55 years.  5 lessons from 55 years on this earth!

I’d love to hear the lessons you’ve learned!  And I’d love to hear any questions or thoughts you might have about thriving.  But until then, listen in on the 5 lessons I have learned (and keep learning), and let me know if they are lessons you share.

Listen below.

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Success and Significance

We all face obstacles in our lives.  No matter how successful, no matter how determined we are, we will have tough moments.  Soul moments.  Times when we have to stop, collect ourselves, let go of who we have been, and step into a new space.

Sometimes, those moments are full of tragedy.

Aaron Walker is the author of View From The TopThat was the case for my guest on this episode of Thriveology Podcast.  Aaron Walker, author of View From The Top, was successful… multiple times.  After growing up poor, Aaron decided to make himself successful.

He started working young, finished high school early, and launched his first business.  He sold that and started another.  Followed by another.

And then, one day… tragedy.  Big enough that Aaron tried to hide from life.  (Aaron tells the story, himself, during our talk.) But life wasn’t quite done yet.  Aaron made a shift from success to significance.

In our discussion, Aaron reveals the cornerstones of building a life of integrity and significance.  Listen in to learn more.

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Aaron’s Website
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Big WHY Vs. Little Why’s

Your BIG WHY versus the little why's that keep you stuck.What’s your WHY?  Your BIG WHY?  Why you are here.  The WHY that is your life purpose?

I think we all have one… even if we haven’t found it yet.  It’s there.  Within us.  Your first task is to find it.  That’s important.  But finding it isn’t enough.  Second, you have to move toward it, work toward it… try to fulfill it.  If it is big enough, it may just take you the rest of your life!

But what could get in your way??

The little “why’s.”  Your questions about “why did this happen?”, “why are things this way?”, “why do I feel this way?”

Those little why’s can drown out the BIG WHY.  It draws our attention away from what is important.  And yet, those little why’s get our attention and energy.  They keep us in circles, chasing after nothing helpful or useful.  Just stuck.

In this episode of the Thriveology Podcast, I discuss our BIG WHY and the little why’s that keep us away from the BIG WHY.

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The MPI Triad

The MPI Triad -- Meaning, Purpose, Impact.I admit it. Her words have stuck with me for decades now. She told me, “Don’t waste it.” She meant that I shouldn’t waste my time… my life. Just before she died, she told me, “Make it matter.” She wanted to make sure I knew not to waste the precious time I had, and to make my life matter.

Her dying words to a young chaplain.

And those words have lived within me in the 3 decades since.

They still shape my work and my philosophy.

I discussed not wasting life in a prior podcast episode.

But what does it mean to Make It Matter? How do we make sure our lives matter, not for our own self, but for the world? How do we leave this place better for our being here?
The MPI Triad helps to clarify. That triad holds Meaning, Purpose, and Impact. How we make sense of what happens, how we move into the world, and what difference it makes.

Let me tell you a bit more in this week’s podcast episode.

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“We Aren’t Getting Out Alive” – Make It Count!

We won't get out of life alive.  So make it count.No, I am not predicting a huge catastrophe, destroying the world.  And I am not stuck in a disaster area.

But I remember hearing someone say that about life:  “We aren’t getting out of here alive.”  Simple.  And profound.

Between birth and death, what is life about?

I have come to believe that we humans have a unique gift:  we are built to make an impact, a difference in life.  We can make a negative impact or a positive impact.  But we WILL make an impact.

As I have watched people, when you aim at positive impact, your life takes on purpose and meaning.  It becomes significant to you.  And you begin to move toward something bigger and greater.

Are you standing in the impact zone, or are you still stuck?

Building A Life Of Meaning And Purpose

Build a life of meaning and purpose.I believe that we, as humans, have an innate need for purpose in our lives.  We need to find meaning in life.

When we don’t, we flounder.  We fill the “purpose hole” with other things.  Addictions, distractions, mid-life crises — all the result of NOT building a life of meaning and purpose.

We yearn for it.  We itch for it.  But most people don’t know how to scratch it.

Humans are Purpose Builders and Meaning Makers.  But we forget.  We chase after the wrong things, aim at the wrong targets — and then wonder why we make a mess of life.

But thrivers know better.  People who thrive have built lives around purpose.  They have discovered meaning in life.

What about you?  Is your life about purpose?  Are you finding the meaning in your life?

Listen to find out how to build more purpose and find more meaning in your life.

Built For Impact: #28 Thriveology Podcast

You are designed for impact.Do you wonder why you are here?  Are you wondering what purpose you have in the world?

You have something unique to offer to the world.  It is something only YOU can do to impact the world.

Life satisfaction comes from being a person of impact.  Change in your own life and in the life of those around you only comes from being a person of impact.

As humans, we are designed for impact.  We are designed to create an impact in our own life, the lives of those around us, and in the lives of others.

What?  You don’t think you are impacting the world?  You don’t think you have anything to offer?  Let me prove you wrong!

In this week’s Thriveology Podcast, I tell you several reasons why you may not be making an impact.  But more importantly, I give you several ways of becoming a person of impact.

Let me know what you think in the comments area below!

Are We Allergic To Struggle?: #22 Thriveology Podcast

Are we allergic to struggle?  Or do we just misunderstand what struggle means?

Do you find yourself avoiding or embracing struggle?

Perhaps a shift in mindset will give you a shift in life.  Living a life of impact cannot happen — thriving cannot happen — when we avoid struggles.

Instead of embracing struggle, discover how to embrace a challenge in this week’s podcast.

Points of Impact: #21 Thriveology Podcast

What is YOUR point of impact?When we think of how we can impact on the world, it can be overwhelming.  Yet, the world needs you and me to step up and make an impact.  You and I need to make an impact.

Where do you start?

There are 5 levels in your life where you can make an impact.  And there are 4 steps to making that impact.

You can pick any or all of these levels.  And you can bring your impact resources into any of these areas.

Let me tell you about the 5 levels, the 4 steps, and the 7 resources you can identify as you bring even MORE impact into the world.

After all, we are designed for impact!