Search For Meaning in Life

Michael F. Steger & Todd B. Kashdan

The search for meaning in life refers to the idea that individuals are strongly motivated to find meaning in their lives, that is, to be able to understand the nature of their personal existence, and feel it is significant and purposeful. Life feels meaningful to people when they can satisfactorily answer the big questions about their lives, such as who am I, why am I here, what is truly important to me, what am I supposed to do with my life. That finding meaning in life is considered a fundamental motivation by some means that human beings must perceive a sufficient amount of meaning in their lives. In other words, feeling that one's life is significant, comprehensible, or purposeful may be necessary for human psychological functioning. For millennia, attempting to understand what makes life meaningful had been the task of artists, theoloGians, and philosophers. Following World War I, some influential ...

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