A well-known axiom from the Dalai Lama suggests that our primary purpose in existence is to assist others, a sentiment that resonates deeply. Scientific inquiry has indeed illuminated the connection between positively influencing fellow human beings and experiencing a profound sense of life’s significance.
While a pragmatic perspective might question the intrinsic meaning of human existence, it remains a perennial philosophical pursuit. As Joffrey Fuhrer of the University of Eastern Finland articulates, understanding the activities, thoughts, and actions that contribute to a meaningful life is crucial. Such insight could equip therapists and counselors with valuable tools to guide individuals toward this sense of fulfillment.
To address this enduring question, Fuhrer, in collaboration with Florian Cova from the University of Geneva, Switzerland, initiated a series of studies. These involved extensive online surveys administered to hundreds of residents across the United States.
In certain phases of these studies, participants were presented with hypothetical character sketches. They were then asked to evaluate the extent to which these fictional lives appeared meaningful, happy, and worthy of emulation. For illustration, they assessed the life of Amelia, who, after a significant lottery win, dedicated herself to substantial charitable donations aimed at alleviating poverty and hunger. Her involvement extended to traveling internationally to support these charitable organizations.
In other related studies, participants were tasked with rating and ranking various definitions of what constitutes a meaningful life. Alternatively, they were asked to assess the perceived meaningfulness and fulfillment of their own lives across a spectrum of measures.
Fuhrer summarized the findings, stating, “We find that there are four different dimensions.” Three of these—coherence, representing an understanding of one’s life across past, present, and future; a sense of purpose or direction; and significance, reflecting the feeling that one’s life matters—had been previously identified in analogous research. However, Fuhrer and Cova proposed a critical fourth dimension to the experience of meaning: the positive impact of one’s actions on others.
Other psychological frameworks have posited comprehension, purpose, and mattering—the perception that one’s existence is consequential and possesses enduring value—as foundational elements. Yet, the recent work argues that the concepts of “significance” and “mattering” do not fully encompass how individuals perceive the positive outcomes of their endeavors and how these outcomes contribute to a sense of meaning.
Tatjana Schnell, affiliated with the MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society in Oslo, voices agreement. “I agree completely that this kind of concept belongs to the core elements of the experience of meaning,” she stated. However, she questioned the distinctiveness of impact versus significance, suggesting a conceptual overlap. Schnell’s own research advances a distinct set of four facets of meaning, which include existential belonging—the feeling of having a place in the world—alongside significance, coherence, and purpose. More recently, a study indicated that social support can indeed imbue life with meaning.
Regardless of the precise number of dimensions identified, Schnell emphasizes that experiencing life as meaningful does not necessitate its complete alignment with every conceivable meaningful aspect. “It’s more about not having an area of your life that is problematic, with no coherence, no significance, no mattering or no belonging,” she explained.
Frank Martela, from Aalto University in Finland, provided an illustrative example of individuals who feel a lack of meaning in their professional lives. “They do their job, they get their salary, but they feel that nothing positive comes out of it,” Martela remarked. Such situations, he noted, can lead to feelings of purposelessness, hopelessness, and depression.
To foster greater impact, both Fuhrer and Schnell suggest a shift from self-centered concerns towards investing time and energy in activities that benefit others. Schnell advises, “Find out who you think you are, who you want to be and what you can bring to this world, and then see how you can apply that to something that sustainably benefits others.”
Martela also pointed out that meaning can be derived from everyday gestures. Simple acts, such as bringing a colleague a cup of coffee, can contribute to this sense of purpose.