What gives life a point?
There’s no single, “correct” thing that gives life a point. One psychological definition of the point or meaning of life is “the extent to which a person experiences [their] life as having purpose, significance, and coherence.” What makes a person feel these qualities in their life is different for everyone (what motivates your neighbor to get out of bed in the morning might seem totally irrelevant to you). So, there’s no universal point to life to chase or look for; it’s different for everyone! The point of your life can change over time, too. Perhaps you feel the point is to start and raise a family through your 30s and 40s. Come retirement, though, you may feel more meaning in contributing to your community since your kids have grown and begun their own adult lives.
Many find a point in their relationships, career, creative pursuits, or spirituality. The point of your life doesn’t have to be something impressive or grandiose like solving climate change or becoming a world leader. Meaning comes in many forms, from raising a family to climbing the corporate ladder to simply traveling and having fun. Some common areas where people report finding meaning include: Relationships: Family, children, friends, community members, romantic partners, and even pets can be a source of meaning and purpose. Work: Your career, wealth and material well-being, and retirement can impact how you find meaning in life. Hobbies and passions: Creative projects, recreational activities, education and learning, travel, new experiences, and nature can give a point to life. Spiritual and societal causes: Spirituality or religion, your mental and physical health, societal institutions, freedom and independence, and service also give many meaning.
Existentialists believe there is no inherent point to life. In existential philosophy, the world has no external meaning or point to chase. Instead, your being invites you to create an internal meaning that suits your individual existence. Essentially, you have the free will to choose your values and purpose in life. In this line of thinking, being responsible for your own actions, purpose, and meaning is what makes you authentic (and helps cope with the anxiety or realizing how much freedom ou truly have).
Some believe meaninglessness or pointlessness aren’t bad things. You may think nothing you do in life has a point because you’ll just die someday anyway. But if you’re going to die one day regardless of what you do, then there’s really no reason not to do anything! From this perspective, pointlessness is freeing; you don’t have to give in to shame or embarrassment about pursuing your passions since death is inevitable whether you live for them or not. On a simpler level, even if life has no inherent point, you’re still a complex human being in a vibrant ecosystem (the only one we know of in the universe so far). That’s a beautiful and awe-inspiring thing whether you believe there’s a point to it or not.
Ultimately, determining the point of life is a journey that’s up to you. “What’s the point of life?” isn’t an easy question to answer concretely, no matter when in life you ask it. Instead, finding the point of life or your purpose in it is a journey of self-discovery with challenges, rewards, ups, and downs. Sometimes you’ll feel confident in what you’re living for, while other times you may feel totally lost and need to look for your meaning again. This cycle is normal, so don’t feel bad if you’re questioning the point of life right now. Show yourself some compassion and trust that you can find a direction in the future.
Why You Might Question the Point of Life
Major life changes, traumatic events, or unfulfilling circumstances can make you question the point of life. There are a wide variety of reasons you might feel like life is meaningless, and it’s often a combination of several factors at once that alters someone’s mindset. Some of the most common reasons for doubting the point of it all include: The recent loss of a loved one. Someone you know getting diagnosed with a terminal illness. A divorce or breakup. Losing your job. Comparing your life to what you feel it should be like (according to society). A fear of radically changing your lifestyle or habits. Being isolated from your support system or not having one. Feeling unfulfilled at work or in your personal life and wondering if something is “missing.” A traumatic event like being assaulted or suffering a major accident. Mental health conditions like anxiety and/or depression.
Sometimes, positive events can make you reevaluate the point of life, too. Questioning the meaning of life doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom. Sometimes, a positive change can give you a new perspective or enthusiasm for life, or an optimistic feeling that the point of life is still to be discovered. For example: Having a child can renew your awe for life and make you question what your purpose is now. Major transitions or milestones, like marriage or retirement, can change how you approach life or what you want to accomplish. Having a profound spiritual or religious realization may make you feel like you’re a part of something larger than just your life.
Signs You Feel Life Is Pointless
If you think life is pointless, you may feel hopeless or like nothing you do matters. Everyone experiences “pointlessness” differently, but many people feel a kind of “purpose anxiety,” or a nervousness about not knowing why they’re here, what to do with their life, or whether any of it even matters. Some other common signs of purpose anxiety or feeling like life is pointless include: Having little energy Feeling unenthusiastic about the future. Thinking that you don’t make a difference in the world. Struggling to recognize your accomplishments. Losing the joy from activities you like. Not caring about the outcome of events. Feeling like none of your efforts will aid your goals and dreams. Struggling to set goals or determine what you want from life.
Is pointlessness related to depression?
Feeling like your life has no point can be a symptom of depression. In fact, some studies show this pointlessness can open the door for the onset of depression. Feeling pointlessness can lower your energy or activity levels, which mimics depression symptoms and may trigger depressive episodes for those that are already predisposed to them. Some patients with depression describe their condition’s impact on their goals and values (things they perceive as giving life a point) more than on their physical or emotional well-being. Conversely, people who feel a strong sense of purpose in life are less likely to develop depression or anxiety in the first place (though it can certainly still happen).
See a mental health professional if your feelings affect your daily life. If you sense that your feelings are related to depression, seek help. A good rule of thumb is to reach out if you’ve been feeling down most of the time for 2 weeks or longer and you can’t change your mood yourself. This is especially important if you’re also pulling back from things you enjoy or withdrawing from loved ones. Other symptoms of depression that warrant a visit with a therpit or counselor include: Feeling sad, tearful, empty, hopeless, anxious, agitated, or restless. Angry outbursts or frustration over little things. Losing interest or pleasure in normal activities. Disrupted sleep patterns. Feeling tired or lacking the energy to do simple tasks. Changes in appetite and weight gain or loss. Slowed thinking, speaking, or body movements. Fixating on past mistakes and failures or feeling worthless or guilty. Unexplained physical problems like headaches. Frequent or recurring thoughts of death or suicide, including suicide attempts.
How to Find Your Life Purpose
Help others and volunteer more in your community. Volunteering lets you see how your unique skills and interests can make a difference in the world, all while meeting new people who share your passions and can become a supportive community for you. This makes it easier to find and sustain a purpose in your life. Try reaching out to community centers, nonprofits, shelters, or organizations whose missions inspire you to do good. If you’re not sure where you’d like to volunteer, ask yourself “What problem would I solve if I could snap my fingers and fix it right now?” Then, look for groups that work toward that cause.
Strengthen your relationships and cultivate new ones. For many, their friends, family, communities, and loved ones are the point of life. Rich, deep relationships can give you a sense of direction or meaning, so try opening up to people and sharing your feelings, goals, and hopes with others to increase your intimacy. Try to meet some new people, too. You might attend a networking event or a class for something you’re passionate about to find like-minded people.
Pursue your interests, hobbies, and passions. What activities do you enjoy so much you lose track of time? What do you naturally succeed at? These skills and interests can be highly rewarding and motivating, as well as the foundation of your life’s mission (whether you decide to make a career, side hustle, or simply a recreational hobby out of them). If you’re not sure what your passions are, ask the people that know you the best what they think. You may already be pursuing them without being aware of it. For example, you might already be a stellar role model for youth in your community, so why not become a formal mentor?
Practice gratitude to find abundance in having enough. Feeling and showing thankfulness for what you already have in life (no matter how small) highlights all the good things around you and can positively reframe your circumstances, mood, and stress. It also helps you identify what you really want and need in life, which can guide you toward creating a more fulfilling, purpose-driven life. Try incorporating gratitude into your day by: Writing letters of thanks to someone who’s impacted you. Making a gratitude list of things you’re grateful for. Expressing thanks during prayer, meditation, or another spiritual practice. Taking a short moment to reflect whenever you feel grateful for something or someone.
Become more self-aware and present through mindfulness. Being more mindful of your thoughts and feelings in real time can positively impact your mood, make you more resilient to stress or depression, and help you identify things that resonate with your sense of purpose or meaning. Developing your self-awareness also keeps you centered and boosts your creative thinking, helping you appreciate your place in and contributions to the world. To start, try meditating or journaling with no particular goal in mind. Just let your thoughts flow and see what comes to mind. As you form goals and more concrete thoughts, narrow your focus to how your inner feelings interact with the world around you. Why do you feel the way that you do? How does your environment affect you, and vice versa?
Explore new spiritual practices. Spirituality doesn’t have to be tied to religion or specific rituals. It’s simply a broad concept or set of values and beliefs that make you feel connected to something larger than yourself. So, experiment with different belief systems and practices to see what resonates with you or gives you a new perspective on life. If you’re religious, attend a service or read the holy books associated with your religion. You might even study or attend services of different religions to broaden your views. Other spiritual practices that invite you to reflect and ponder your place in the world include meditating, manifesting, journaling, yoga, or even just going for a walk in nature.
Start to trust yourself and your intuition more. If you’re constantly comparing yourself to others or doing what they expect of you instead of what you want, you may feel insecure making big life choices that impact your sense of meaning. Instead, trust your own instinct or “gut feeling” when you make decisions and remember that only you know what’s best for your life. For example, if your family is pressuring you to be an engineer when you want to be an artist, assert yourself and follow the path that will bring you more fulfillment and happiness. If you’re afraid to trust yourself, think back on all of the successful choices you’ve made that brought you to where you are today. This can help you be more decisive. Trusting yourself doesn’t mean to make rushed, impulsive decisions, though. Still take the time to evaluate your options fairly and make the smartest decision for yourself that you can.
Rediscover and commit to your core values. Your values represent what you consider essential for a well-lived life and speak both your psychological needs and the norms in your community. These can be broad ideas like kindness or generosity, or more specific things like supporting small or local businesses over large corporations. Write down a list of the values that move you the most, as well as a few sentences about why (with some examples). For example, if supporting small businesses is a value of yours, you might say it’s because you like your purchases to directly benefit locals and your community and it makes you feel accomplished. An example of this might be a time you made a large order at a local bakery and the owner thanked you because the income helped them order more supplies. Identifying a set of values that are meaningful to live by can make you feel more enthusiastic and fulfilled by your life and choices.
Set meaningful short- and long-term goals that align with your values. Once you’re sure of your values, set goals that support them and make you feel like you’re making a difference. For example, if one of your strongest values is preserving the environment, you might make a short-term goal to clean up litter from your neighborhood or a local forest preserve, while a longer goal might be to establish an environmental position on your town’s leadership board. Short-term goals and projects help give you a sense of purpose now, while bigger goals give you something to work toward (a point) over a long stretch of time.
Embrace change and get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Clinging to the same old routines and ideologies probably won’t help you see more of a point to life, especially if you’re not happy with your current circumstances. Instead, get out of your comfort zone from time to time and try something new to experience novel challenges and perspectives. Start small. You might cook a new dinner or take a woodworking class simply because you’ve always been interested in it. When you’re more comfortable trying new things, go bigger. Travel to a new state or country, talk to people from different cultures, or consider switching career fields if your true interests are elsewhere.
Stop comparing yourself to others. Social media makes it easy to feel inferior or like your life is pointless compared to the picture-perfect images that influencers (and everyday people) curate online. It’s important to remember that what other people show on the outside isn’t comparable to the complex and unique you on the inside. So, spend less time scrolling your Instagram feed and remember these tips to avoid comparisons: Stay away from accounts or posts that trigger your comparisons. For example, if you’re self-conscious about your body, avoid fitness influencers whose entire livelihood is their “perfect” body image. Remember that money doesn’t buy happiness. That lavish vacation on your friend’s story looks amazing, but it doesn’t mean their life is more fulfilling than yours. Stay grateful for what’s good in your life and remember that it’s enough when you see posts that make you feel like you’re lacking or behind. Follow and interact with role models who inspire you. If you’re a musician, for example, following artists you respect can give you exciting new ideas for your own work.
Try working with a mental health professional to heal past traumas. A therapist or counselor can help you analyze patterns and beliefs you have that hold you back from exploring new things and find fulfilling ways to make your life more meaningful, especially if these behaviors or thoughts are the result of unaddressed or chronic trauma. Therapists or psychologists are especially helpful if you’re dealing with a mental health condition like depression or anxiety, as this can impact your views and feelings on the point of life. For example, neglect or abuse from a parent when you were young may make it hard to open up or trust others, leading to relationship issues that impact your feelings of pointlessness. A therapist can unpack this trauma and suggest strategies for moving forward and coping with your feelings. If you’re uncomfortable with therapy or want less intensive help, try talking to a life or career coach, a spiritual advisor, or someone else you trust who can give you an outside perspective or advice on how to make your life or work more meaningful.
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