The novelist/poet, Nancy Willard said, 

“Sometimes questions are more important than answers.”

One of the primary things that separate us from animals is the ability to ask questions. In asking questions we grow through examination of reality and expansion or knowledge. And that is only the most subtle of the things we gain. The greatness of the human journey seems to be based in our desire to understand our place in the world. When we ask the difficult questions, it leads to and individual expansion. And where we expand the most is when we ask the hard questions of life. 

These are the questions the great thinkers have been writing about -going back thousands of years.

The "great questions of life" tend to focus on thoughts about existence, purpose, morality, and the nature of reality.  These questions have been pondered by philosophers, theologians, scientists, and thinkers throughout history. There are multiple layers of questions, some growing from the primary questions. Among the primary questions, we find these…

·         What is the meaning of life? (Why are we here? What is our purpose?)

·         What is the nature of reality? (Is reality as we perceive it? What is the relationship between perception and reality?)

·         What is the nature of consciousness? (How does the mind arise from the brain? What is the relationship between the mind and the body?)

·         What happens after we die? (Is there an afterlife, reincarnation, or nothingness? What does death mean for our existence?)

·         What is good and evil? (How do we determine right from wrong? What is the basis of morality?)

·         Is there a God or higher power? (Can the existence of God be proven or disproven?)

Answering any of these (for yourself) will help you start to develop a personal philosophy to live by -even if you don’t think of it that way. This is because -once you ponder one of the great questions- and find yourself with even the most subtle answers, the answers become part of your life philosophy… the way you interact with your reality. It becomes a part of your way of thinking. 

Having a personal philosophy is important because having one gives meaning to life and can even lead you to a greater purpose. And I believe the greatest personal philosophies only happen when we ask questions. When we challenge ideas -especially the ones we already hold- we grow and evolve. 

And when we settle into an unchanging way of thinking, our growth and evolution are at a standstill. Personal evolution can only happen as we take in new information. Imagine you’re making stew and have four ingredients to work with. 

You have: Meat, Carrots, Garlic and potatoes. That is all. 

You can use these ingredients in any amount you’d like, or even leave an ingredient out. You will get slightly different results through these variations. But you are entirely limited by the ingredients you have on hand. You may be comfortable with these ingredients because they are familiar to you. You may feel you don’t need anything else for your stew. So, in the end you don’t get much variation. 

This is how personal philosophy works. You can only apply the ingredients you have on hand. And we don’t get much variation in thought unless we add new ingredients. The ingredients that make up personal philosophy are more nuanced than carrots, celery and potatoes. That’s because they are ideas. Ideas can only be explored through questions. And sometimes we find we’re resistant to asking questions. This is because new information challenges old beliefs. And old beliefs form the foundation of our world view; how we see ourselves, our reality, and relate to our internal and external world. When new information comes in it can lead to unexpected change. 

Imagine chili peppers were suddenly available to you as an ingredient for your stew. The addition of this new ingredient would significantly alter the stew. This is not the stew you’re used to. It may take time to get used to this -or maybe you don’t want to get used to it because it’s not to your liking. Either decision is fine -after all, it’s your stew. You get to choose the ingredients. But you’re playing around with ingredients and looking for different outcomes. 

A life philosophy is the same. You get to choose the ingredients. The different ingredients are ideas and thoughts. These come from asking questions. And it’s vital to ask questions and explore ideas. When we do it inevitably leads us to form a personal philosophy of life. The more we explore ideas, the more we evolve. And our growth is only limited by our discomfort and how much we’re able to push through that discomfort. Exploring means talking chances. Like peppers in the stew. What will happen if we try…? We only find answers through experimentation. And great things can happen when we explore.

Carl Jung called playing with ideas ‘fantasizing.’ He said, 

"Without this playing with fantasy, no creative work has ever come to birth. The debt we owe to the play of imagination is incalculable. To have a philosophy of life is to tap into the creative potential of the human spirit."

Creative potential is linked to meaning and purposes. When our personal philosophy allows us to feel we have a purpose, life is more fulfilling and we are able to more easily handle life’s struggles.

German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche put it this way,

"He who has a why to live can bear almost any how."  

And knowing what your why is, is becoming important. We’re in a period in history punctuated by what’s been called the ‘crisis of meaning.’ The quest for meaning and purpose is deeply ingrained in the human experience and has massive implications for our well-being, societal cohesion, and sense of fulfillment. 

Meaning and purpose provide a sense of direction and clarity, guiding us in setting goals, making decisions, and navigating life's challenges. Having a clear purpose gives life structure and meaning, helping us prioritize our actions and focus our energy on what truly matters to us.

What matters to you? If you consider your top priorities, they are likely based on your sense of purpose. And what you do to support those things will underline the meaning in your life. 

One of my beliefs about purpose in my life is to use my gifts to be helpful. That idea led me to make the podcast. Feeling I have a purpose gives my days meaning... see how it works? 

Meaning and purpose serve as powerful motivators, fueling perseverance and resilience. When we have a strong sense of purpose, we’re better equipped to overcome obstacles and setbacks. Purpose and meaning tether us to a sense of stability in life. 

Research shows that having a sense of meaning and purpose is key to greater psychological well-being, including higher levels of happiness, life satisfaction, and overall mental health. 

Consider those you’ve known know who struggled with happiness, satisfaction and mental health and you’ll see that they likely had one thing in common. They lacked purpose or meaning. Meaningful pursuits provide a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction that contributes to overall emotional resilience and contentment.

And lack of meaning or purpose also affects: Physical Health, Meaningful connections with others... and other aspects of life.

Ultimately, the search for meaning and purpose is a fundamental aspect of the human condition, rooted in our desire to make sense of our existence and find significance in our lives. Having a sense of purpose gives meaning to our experiences, enriching our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

Meaning and purpose are essential for guiding individuals toward fulfillment, resilience, and well-being, while also fostering stronger connections with others and contributing to the greater good of society. And so, the pursuit of meaning and purpose is a central aspect of human flourishing and personal development. 

And all of this comes from examining the big questions. And though some questions can’t be answered with certainty -questions like, those about the meaning of life, the existence of God, or the nature of consciousness after death…. Those questions are still vital to ask.

As the opening quote from Nancy Willard said, 

“Sometimes questions are more important than answers.”

And the reason they matter is they help us build a foundation of belief to stand on as we move forward in life. And having a foundation helps us preserve a sense of meaning, which leads us to a higher purpose. 

When’s the last time you had a good conversation on one of the big questions? If you’re feeling a sense of disconnection, or lack of meaning… go back to the big questions. Grab a few close friends and talk about them. You can also go online to places like Reddit or Quora and find groups discussing big topics. 

I’ll share a list of the big questions in the show notes. Take any of them and dive in. 

I’ll leave you with a thought about meaning from author Anais Nin. Nin said,

“There is not one big cosmic meaning for all; there is only the meaning we each give to our life, an individual meaning, an individual plot, like an individual novel, a book for each person.” 

If you feel you’re lacking purpose -first find meaning. Find meaning by discussing the big questions of life.