The Power of Meaning

Crafting a Life That Matters

By: Emily Esfahani Smith

Narrated by: Mozhan Marnò

Length: 7 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

This wise, stirring book argues that the search for meaning can immeasurably deepen our lives and is far more fulfilling than the pursuit of personal happiness.

There is a myth in our culture that the search for meaning is some esoteric pursuit - that you have to travel to a distant monastery or page through dusty volumes to figure out life's great secret. The truth is, there are untapped sources of meaning all around us - right here, right now. Drawing on the latest research in positive psychology; on insights from George Eliot, Viktor Frankl, Aristotle, the Buddha, and other great minds; and on interviews with seekers of meaning, Emily Esfahani Smith lays out the four pillars upon which meaning rests.

Belonging: We all need to find our tribe and forge relationships in which we feel understood, recognized, and valued - to know we matter to others.

Purpose: We all need a far-reaching goal that motivates us, serves as the organizing principle of our lives, and drives us to make a contribution to the world.

Storytelling: We are all storytellers, taking our disparate experiences and assembling them into a coherent narrative that allows us to make sense of ourselves and the world.

Transcendence: During a transcendent or mystical experience, we feel we have risen above the everyday world and are connected to something vast and meaningful.

To bring those concepts to life, Smith visits a tight-knit fishing village on the Chesapeake Bay, stargazes in West Texas, attends a dinner where young people gather to share their experiences of untimely loss, and more. And she explores how we might begin to build a culture of meaning in our schools, our workplaces, and our communities.

Inspiring and story-driven, The Power of Meaning will strike a profound chord in anyone seeking a richer, more satisfying life.

©2017 Emily Esfahani Smith (P)2017 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Beautifully written and rigorously researched, The Power of Meaning speaks to the yearning we all share for a life of depth and significance. In a culture constantly shouting about happiness, this warm and wise book leads us down the path to what truly matters. Reading it is a life-transforming experience.”—Susan Cain, author of Quiet

“The analysis that opens the book, and that structures the whole, is simple and elegant… The insight that, in our daily lives, we need to think of others and to have goals that include caring for others or working for something other than our own prosperity and advancement is the most valuable message in the book.”—The Wall Street Journal

“A riveting read on the quest for the one thing that matters more than happiness. Emily Esfahani Smith reveals why we lose meaning in our lives and how to find it. Beautifully written, evidence-based, and inspiring, this is a book I’ve been awaiting for a very long time.”—Adam Grant, author of Originals and Give and Take; professor at the Wharton School

A Must Read

I would recommend this book to anyone. I started this book expecting to hear the authors take on meaning and how she found it in life. Instead, I was awed (by both writing and performance) and enlightened. I came out of this book with my own conclusions and a renewed desire to find and explore my own purpose. A must read!

Find meaning,the secret under your nose

You know this truth but you hide it from yourself. How you give it is how you'll receive meaning

Great exploration of meaning

It's a much needled topic for modern living. I find the examples very appealing, easy to follow and quite meaningful. It's a beautifully written book with so much heart. Highly recommend it!

Great performance and fruitful points

I enjoyed different chapters of the book but loved the transcedence chapter, it almost shaked me. The reader performance and clarity made the journey more pleasant as well. Recommended for those whom feel lost and desperate in life. The book points out some valid hints that might light up the path. I would like to emphasize that the transcedence chapter brilliantly points out what meditation and mindfulness seekers are missing in their technique.

Gen X guy here. These are essential life lessons, especially for us lost and disenchanted.

I read Victor Frankel's Man's Search for Meaning in high school. And aside from various existential philosophy studies did not really pick the topic up until 20 years later and I'm so grateful I found this book.

Brilliant and a must for everyone!

This book encapsulated the concept of a meaningful life in so many brilliant ways. It helped to validate and strengthen the way I have chosen to live. Community/The Tribe and our stories within that when told help create empathy and empower each other to reevaluate our narrative. I'm getting multiple copies of this hard cover book to share with my Tribe. Thank you for such a powerful book!

Profunda y práctica

Seducido por la conferencia de TED, llegué al libro. Trabajo profundo por la empatía que logra un buen periodismo y por lo sensible de las ideas que aborda. Logra comprimir en cuatro pilares claros, prácticos y contundentes la existencia humana y la pregunta por el sentido de vida.

Muy bien narrado.

One of the most important books I've ever read

This book was engaging from beginning to end and exactly what I needed at this point in my life. I am grateful for the author's work, the lovely narrator, production team, and the friend who recommended it to me.

Beautiful inspirational

I thoroughly enjoyed this inspiring book that cuts through the clutter of personal development. Through the telling of poignant and memorable stories and references to philosophers, great minds and modern thinkers the author distills the biggest issues of our human existence.

Life changing

I really hadn't intended on reading this book myself. I mainly purchased it for my daughter on a whim. I'm so grateful I did. so many beautiful perspectives brought to fruition. I feel like on our current state of divisive America, this book helped me focus on compassion, rather than politics for a moment, which was a blessing and hard to do.