The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness

by Arthur C. Brooks

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of From Strength to Strength, the definitive account of how the modern world makes meaning so hard to find—and a plan to discover your life’s deepest purpose.

If you struggle to discern life’s meaning, you’re not alone. Millions today describe a growing sense of emptiness, a lack of purpose and significance. And there’s a Rapid cultural, economic, and technological changes have rewired our brains, reducing their ability to perceive depth and purpose. 

In The Meaning of Your Life, social scientist and happiness expert Arthur C. Brooks shows you how to push back against these changes and find the meaning you need to live a happy, fulfilling life. Relying on cutting-edge science, he offers practical, evidence-based strategies for breaking free of the powerful trends and personal habits that dull your focus on the why of your life. Drawing on the great philosophers and the world’s faith traditions, he shows how everyone can—and must—approach life’s most important and mysterious questions and provides a blueprint that will help even the most skeptical person find a life of spiritual transcendence, passionate love, and true calling. 

“What is the meaning of my life?” is not an unanswerable question, but rather the start of a pilgrimage into unexplored corners of your consciousness. The Meaning of Your Life is your handbook for this journey.

296 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 31, 2026

About the author

Arthur C. Brooks, PhD, is a social scientist and one of the world’s leading authorities on human happiness. He is a Harvard professor, columnist with The Free Press, host of the podcast Office Hours, CBS News contributor, and internationally acclaimed public speaker. His previous books have been translated into dozens of languages and include the bestsellers Build the Life You Want (co-authored with Oprah Winfrey), From Strength to Strength, and Love Your Enemies. He lives with his family in Virginia.

source: Amazon

Reviews

[Miguel · Rating 2 out of 5]

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"I'm OK - You're OK", 2026 Updated Edition. Now with added benefit of Christianity and American Enterprise Institute thrown in for good measure.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought provoking and challenging listen. I plan to read the hardback and take notes based on the questions and reflection prompts at the end of chapters. There is just the right amount of personal stories, social science data, examples from history, and inspiration from faith traditions. It is challenging without being exhausting or too much. That does not mean putting it in to practice will be easy, nothing meaningful is in the long term, but it feels doable.

Brooks offers strategies for getting away from screens and the daily grind of solving complicated problems and striving for success and out into the world to embrace relationships, service, art, nature, etc. This is where purpose, significance and meaning can be found.

[Ashley Blais · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extremely powerful book full of useful tools. I’m glad I found this book at the exact time I needed it. Or, did the book find me?

[Charles Engel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was hooey…

…but it proved itself to me in the last third. At first the book seemed simplistic, but by the end it made so much sense. I think I’m going to reread it. I’m a psychiatrist and for many years my reward was scholarship and research. It was fun until it wasn’t. I’ve now returned mainly to clinical work. I wasn’t sure how it would go. But it has been enormously rewarding to help people struggling with day to day challenges. Sounds crazy, but I didn’t think it would be enough. Instead, I’m rediscovering the gifts that once drew me to psychiatry and the pleasure I once felt using those gifts to help people one at a time. I feel centered again in a way I’ve arguably avoided for literally decades. Read the book. I’m not sure it changed me, but it helped me to reconnect with what I already knew about me and had long forgotten.

[Iva Shanahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. This author gave me some good things to think about. I love how he emphasized spending time in nature and using less digital. Some very good things to think about. Only thing I would have liked to be included more is how faith in Jesus and closeness to Him is huge in our meaning in life. Actually it is everything

[Jeffrey B. Crockett · Rating 5 out of 5]

OUTSTANDING WISE and BEAUTIFUL

This amazing and wonderful book brings together ideas from ancient times and scientific research on fulfillment. I can’t imagine anyone reading it without gaining multiple insights into living a more full and loving life. Highly recommended!!

[Jared Brinn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn’t care for this book at all. The author used this as a way to push his Catholic beliefs which I thought missed the point of the original idea. “Relying on science backed ideas” aka how the author is deeply into religion

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Wake Up Call”!!

Read this book to see how you are doing in your life, and what changes you should consider for crafting a more meaningful life, and how to implement them. Genius writing, practical strategies - meaningful coaching in a book. Hat’s off to Dr. Brooks.

[Jeffrey R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reflection inducing

Enjoyed working through the questions and the thinking in created. Recommend this to those that are on life’s journey. Enjoy

[Ruth Pannell Crider · Rating 5 out of 5]

refreshed my soul!

great read with easy to understand concepts that I can take into the world. Good principles for living in a digital age