{"id":352,"date":"2007-06-26T10:19:44","date_gmt":"2007-06-26T17:19:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/2007\/06\/26\/10-steps-to-developing-a-meaningful-life-philosophy\/"},"modified":"2019-05-06T01:56:15","modified_gmt":"2019-05-06T09:56:15","slug":"10-steps-to-developing-a-meaningful-life-philosophy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scotthyoung.com\/blog\/2007\/06\/26\/10-steps-to-developing-a-meaningful-life-philosophy\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Steps to Developing a Meaningful Life Philosophy"},"content":{"rendered":"

I believe there are few things more valuable than building a meaningful philosophy on life. Although this may sound like a question best reserved for theologians and great thinkers, at the heart it is a practical question: What is your strategy for living<\/a>?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Your criteria may differ, but I believe all good life philosophies have four basic parameters:<\/p>\n

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  1. Survival.<\/strong> Except in rare circumstances, most good philosophies will fulfill your basic needs. This usually isn\u2019t a big concern since most of us are living well beyond the minimum threshold required to simply survive.<\/li>\n
  2. Happiness.<\/strong> Good life philosophies should make you feel good. Great philosophies will keep you happy even in troubling circumstances. Victor Frankl in his book, Man\u2019s Search for Meaning, demonstrated how even in incredible suffering of the concentration camps he could still endure because of a powerful strategy for living.<\/li>\n
  3. Meaning.<\/strong> Happiness can rarely exist without meaning. Good philosophies should make you feel useful and valuable, otherwise when pleasurable moments fade you are left with nothing.<\/li>\n
  4. Independence of Circumstance.<\/strong> Your life philosophy needs to apply in all situations and circumstances. Your strategy for deriving meaning and happiness should last even after a breakup, death of a relative or unemployment.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Everyone has a philosophy on life, whether they realize it or not. The process of refining this philosophy is like building a ship. It will carry you in rough times and allow you to float easily during the pleasant moments. Here are some tips for refining your strategy on life:<\/p>\n

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    1. Introspection<\/strong>. A life philosophy cannot be outsourced. Although many major religions package premade philosophies, the work of building a strategy for life is yours alone. Thinking about your beliefs and strategies is the only real way to do that. I recommend journaling or meditation to guide your thinking to come to real solutions.<\/li>\n
    2. Study other philosophies<\/strong>. Gather philosophies from other people and books. I try to be as broad as possible when exposing myself to other ways of thinking. I don\u2019t believe you can be corrupted by a new way of thinking, so don\u2019t limit yourself to exploring philosophies that only fit within your current expectations.<\/li>\n
    3. Focus on the answerable<\/strong>. Philosophy should be practical. This means focusing less on the unanswerable questions that just lead you in circles. I\u2019m an atheist, but my opinion is that the question of whether there is a man in the clouds is besides the point. There is no grand truth, just now and experience. Answerable questions are like:\n