BOOK NOTES
As long-time subscribers know, Jim has written ‘Book Notes’ for years, parsing out pertinent pieces of information for thousands of leaders. His notes were never intended to replace reading a book, but to provide a flavor for why you should. Whether it’s applying proven research points or offering a story to introduce a new idea, Jim has taken key points from his readings to offer notes relevant to today’s education, business, or public sector leaders.
April 2026
Greetings! I like author Arthur Brooks, but this book, “The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness” was a challenge to read, understand, and apply. It was one of those books a professor might assign to a philosophy class to promote robust discussion. Indeed, Brooks offers many questions at the end of each chapter to consider. Spirituality, Philosophy, Suffering, Connection, Happiness, and Meaning are all parts of this read. He presents them with social science evidence, stories, and soul.
He concludes his book with a notion that meaning may often find you. I think that’s true for this read. Asking questions that can’t be googled, seeking the Divine, experiencing great suffering, and immersing yourself in beauty are all parts of his journey to help you think about meaning in your life. I think your perspective will be what you look for when you read it. There are nuggets to be found. Enjoy! ~Jim
Let’s start with a convincing message from numerous studies and data. Young people are interacting more with screens than real life and that has led to an explosion of depression and anxiety. As a rule, concludes Brooks, is that the more time you spend on your phone, the more likely you are to be depressed, lonely, and anxious. Here’s how one young man described his life, “My life feels empty.” He craved being needed by someone and a sense of purpose. Another accomplished 27-year-old woman confesses she lacks coherence. Their lives are busy but not meaningful.
What is happiness? Brooks uses researchers’ definition of it: Happiness = enjoyment + satisfaction + meaning. The happiest people enjoy their lives, take satisfaction in the activities, and have a sense of the meaning of their existence. So, think of enjoyment, satisfaction, and meaning as the micronutrients of happiness. Brooks believes the first two are as strong as ever for young people but the third, meaning, has collapsed. He offers survey evidence that young adult strivers have been hit the hardest with the opinion that life often seems meaningless. His headline however is this: YOUR LIFE DOES HAVE MEANING AND YOU CAN FIND IT. And the best predictor of finding meaning is to look for it.
To do that, of course, you must start with the meaning of life’s meaning. What is it? Again, Brooks argues that life’s meaning has three elements: Coherence. Purpose. Significance. It’s how the events of your life fit together (coherence), goals and direction in your life (purpose), and the value of your life to yourself and others (significance). Think of my favorite movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life” where George Bailey, played by Jimmy Stewart, finds his life’s meaning by discovering his importance to others.
Brooks suggests pondering three big questions:
(1) Why do things happen the way they do in my life? (Coherence)
(2) Why am I moving in this direction ? (Purpose)
(3) Why does my life matter ? (Significance)
He offered a questionnaire to score yourself on these components to think about your present state and search.
YOUR BRAIN
Neuroscientific theory from the 70’s suggests that different sides of our brain process different functions. Our “left brain” is analytical and logical while our “right brain” is artsy and creative. Today, these concepts are more precise. The left side of our brain manages what is clear and straightforward in life while the right-side deals with what is spiritual and mysterious. We need both sides to unravel life’s complexities and challenges. The left side solves problems for us while the right is where we find meaning and human connection.
How all this plays out in your head matters. Boredom becomes the biggest predictor of all types of addiction. We lose little by little and then all at once. On the other hand, the pursuit of pleasure for its own sake can lead to the inability to enjoy pleasure of any kind. Digital addiction is a meaning killer. Lean into boredom without devices.
What separates humans from all other species is to ask questions. It’s our willingness to wonder and inquire about things large and small. Sometimes, there simply aren’t good answers.
KNOW THYSELF
This famous maxim from Greek philosophy gets at the “why” of life. You can’t know the meaning of your life if you don’t know yourself. Many people know themselves as a walking “what.” They identify with jobs, religion, or activism. The “what” question imparts information about us but lacks meaning. Some people focus on the how of life—the way you fill your time. The being self focuses on your “why.” It illuminates our core purpose. It’s at this point that Brooks offers several additional thinking exercises aimed at understanding your own life in myriad ways. For example, do you have friendships of utility, pleasure, or virtue? Do you have ideal or real friendships? Do I think more about what I do, how I do it, or why I do it?
Consider affairs of the heart. Long lasting romantic partnerships have companionate love. That’s love based less on passionate highs and lows but more on stable affection, understanding, and commitment. The most meaningful marriages are those where spouses are best friends.
Evidence suggests when people give to charities, they tend to get more confident and less depressed and anxious. Giving changes the giver’s mindset. Want to improve happiness? Give more of your time, money, affection, and attention with no expectation of return. Equally important is to learn how also to accept gratefully from others.
The lowest level of work is a necessary evil according to Brooks and our highest level is seeing work as a calling. The calling means you have purpose-clear goals and direction. Earned success gives people a sense that they oversee their own destiny. It means being recognized for merit and personal responsibility. There is also nothing more energizing and empowering than a conviction that your work is needed by others. It’s why finding work that serves your values, not simply your passion is more likely to be transcendence in your life.
Consider making your work about creating value, learning, and serving-not just succeeding. And for jobs that are neither fun nor values driven…these are soul sucking. Find something else if you can. If you can make your work a calling it can be a positive part of your life and a game changer in the search for meaning. Brooks suggests not turning your calling to workaholism that extinguishes meaning and fuels only worldly success. Idleness is a disaster.
FINAL POINTS
Brooks suggests full immersion with the beauty that surrounds us in nature, music, and the arts. These create emotional resonance and improve one’s mood. Spend time with people who are generous and dedicated to serving others. Practice gratitude by focusing on things you are grateful for.
Don’t waste your suffering. It’s also central to your search for meaning. Brooks correctly acknowledges that you don’t have to go look for suffering. It will find you. Happiness itself is often undermined when you believe it is an absence of suffering. An attitude of acceptance not avoidance can help you treat your suffering. Learn to manage it so it can be about learning and growth.
Lifequakes—happen 3-5 times in a person’s life. Some are joyful and voluntary, and some are involuntary and unwanted. Nearly every one of these bear positive fruit. It just takes time to see it and feel the effects. Meaning can come through knowing you can get through major challenges. Sometimes, meaning will find you.
A friend of Brooks articulated the meaning of life when he said: “To love and be loved; to deepen and enrich my spiritual growth and progress; to use my gifts to serve humanity.”
Publisher: Portfolio, New York City, NY, 2026