I’ve been sharing with audiences a talk I’ve prepared called “Less is more, more and more” that is ultimately about living a life of purpose.
In his book, 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos, Psychologist Jordan Peterson suggests as Rule #7:
Pursue what is meaningful (not what is expedient)
It seems that living a purposeful life is ultimately what matters most, along with the strength of significant relationships that support and encourage us in that pursuit.
This means forgoing impulsive and instant gratification, to feel good for a moment, in favour of whatever feels good in the long term. This takes some consideration of what is purpose and what feels meaningful or valuable.
While we cannot know what is ultimately meaningful, it is a mindful process of discovery that can be held moment to moment in curious discovery of what manifests as feeling meaningful to us in our lives.
To the question “What-makes-life-more-meaningful?” on Quora, Peterson provides a simple meditation:
Notice when you say or do something that makes you unhappy or self-conscious or disgusted with yourself. Stop saying and doing those things. Notice, as well, when you say or do something that makes you feel more engaged, stronger, and less self-conscious. Say and do more of those things.
Doing less of what does not feel good and more of what does is not the same as doing what you like, where doing what you like later brings feelings of regret or shame.
Nor is relentlessly pursuing a goal at our own expense. We are the most important participant in our own play – to jeopardise our well-being is to limit the potential of meaning we are capable of creating. Incidentally, Peterson’s 2nd rule for life is:
Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping
We all have an internal compass that is a combination of both following what delights and what feels in integrity. Integrity is alignment between thoughts, words and actions, and is alignment with purpose. While in integrity, the path is continuously revealed by leaning towards what delights, and where it become possible to access the flow-states of effortless manifestation.