Here are 10 key steps on how to live a meaningful life according to scientific research.

  1. Know and accept yourself — Be true to who you are (i.e., authentic).
  2. Know what really matters — Be engaged in creative work and what endows your life with meaning and significance.
  3. Affirm the meaning of life — Believe that life has intrinsic meaning and value.
  4. Value connection — Be engaged with people who matter to you.
  5. Serve something greater than you — Practice altruism & self-transcendence.
  6. Develop a sense of meaning and purpose — Pursue a life goal as a calling.
  7. Develop a sense of coherence — Create a narrative that makes sense of life.
  8. Cultivate an appreciate attitude — Savour the present & express gratitude for life.
  9. Take a heroic stance — Face adversity with defiance and human dignity.
  10. Keep the faith — Believe in future meaning and stay optimistic against all odds.

To learn more about how to live and work with meaning, participate in our forthcoming International Meaning Conference.