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On Purpose: How We Create the Meaning of Life
What is your purpose in life? This simple question motivates some of our most life-altering decisions, deeply-held beliefs, and profound emotions, as well as the choices we make every single day. How we derive meaning from our existence is crucial to finding happiness, developing relationships, and building societies. In On Purpose , Paul Froese brings together data from large national and international surveys with interviews that illuminate the ways in which people from all walks of life grapple with their continuous search for reason, truth, sense, success, happiness, and-ultimately-transcendence. Froese argues that the desire to connect with something larger than oneself is a universal urge, manifested most directly, but far from solely, in religious communities. Written in vivid, accessible prose, On Purpose takes the reader on a journey through the complexities and consequences of life's most important question.
From the start, Froese admits that the answer to the question is deceptively our purpose is whatever we imagine it to be. But what we imagine our purpose to be depends on innumerable factors beyond our our wealth, race, education level, upbringing, past experiences, and community. Froese argues that one's surroundings serve as a kind of soil that can either nurture purpose or foster meaninglessness. Framing the book around six key questions, Froese refuses to collapse the meaning of life into a single authoritative answer, as self-help gurus do. Instead, he deconstructs each question to reveal the social pathways that guide people to distinctive answers.
Through lively, engaging storytelling that mixes data and analysis with literary and historical examples of the quest for purpose, Froese sheds new light on a timeless and all-too-human quandary. The moral of the book is not that life has some ultimate meaning or no meaning at all, but rather that creating a purpose-driven life has always been a collective project.
From the start, Froese admits that the answer to the question is deceptively our purpose is whatever we imagine it to be. But what we imagine our purpose to be depends on innumerable factors beyond our our wealth, race, education level, upbringing, past experiences, and community. Froese argues that one's surroundings serve as a kind of soil that can either nurture purpose or foster meaninglessness. Framing the book around six key questions, Froese refuses to collapse the meaning of life into a single authoritative answer, as self-help gurus do. Instead, he deconstructs each question to reveal the social pathways that guide people to distinctive answers.
Through lively, engaging storytelling that mixes data and analysis with literary and historical examples of the quest for purpose, Froese sheds new light on a timeless and all-too-human quandary. The moral of the book is not that life has some ultimate meaning or no meaning at all, but rather that creating a purpose-driven life has always been a collective project.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 26, 2016
If you are looking for a step-by-step “how to” book on how to find your purpose, this title will not be for you. He discusses the relevance and usefulness of those books in finding meaning in life, though. According to research, the first thing we probably need to ask ourselves when looking for an instructional manual on how to find purpose and happiness is: what are my beliefs? Froese compares motivational giants’ Eckart Tolle, Tony Robbins, Rick Warren and Stephen Covey approaches to finding purpose. According to Froese’s findings, they will all work, as long as your beliefs align with those of the author.
Now, don’t go thinking this quest for finding purpose is as easy as picking up the newest Tolle book, or signing up for Robbins’ seminars. You wish! Finding purpose in one’s life is as individual as our fingerprints. Froese evaluates the subject under different perspectives, evaluating faith, education, politics, and timing, among other variables that directly affect our possibilities to reach the elusive goal.
I somewhat confirmed my belief that ignorance is truly bliss. The less we know, the easier life seems to be when it comes to complex questions such as “what’s the meaning of life?” It appears to be the more a person knows, the greater the risk of becoming pessimistic or falling prey to despair. Money also has a big influence in finding purpose. Not necessarily because one has it, but because it opens more possibilities to explore one’s options.
Something I enjoyed what the importance of timing. Not all of us will be able to fulfill what we may see as our purpose simply because we fail to be in the right place, at the right time, with the right connections. As frustrating as this may be, it is not the end, though. With imagination and the intrinsic desire to find purpose, any person will find ways to redirect her future and build something to align with her circumstances.
This book is informative and thought provoking. Froese wrote a secular book without taking a side in the discussion, leaving the reader to reach his or her own conclusions. I was slightly bummed the graphics were not available on the ARC, and the footnote links to the hundreds of references were not live either. I have the feeling this book can speak differently to the same person depending on where she is mentally and emotionally at the time. This is the kind of book one can’t read only once.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Now, don’t go thinking this quest for finding purpose is as easy as picking up the newest Tolle book, or signing up for Robbins’ seminars. You wish! Finding purpose in one’s life is as individual as our fingerprints. Froese evaluates the subject under different perspectives, evaluating faith, education, politics, and timing, among other variables that directly affect our possibilities to reach the elusive goal.
I somewhat confirmed my belief that ignorance is truly bliss. The less we know, the easier life seems to be when it comes to complex questions such as “what’s the meaning of life?” It appears to be the more a person knows, the greater the risk of becoming pessimistic or falling prey to despair. Money also has a big influence in finding purpose. Not necessarily because one has it, but because it opens more possibilities to explore one’s options.
Something I enjoyed what the importance of timing. Not all of us will be able to fulfill what we may see as our purpose simply because we fail to be in the right place, at the right time, with the right connections. As frustrating as this may be, it is not the end, though. With imagination and the intrinsic desire to find purpose, any person will find ways to redirect her future and build something to align with her circumstances.
This book is informative and thought provoking. Froese wrote a secular book without taking a side in the discussion, leaving the reader to reach his or her own conclusions. I was slightly bummed the graphics were not available on the ARC, and the footnote links to the hundreds of references were not live either. I have the feeling this book can speak differently to the same person depending on where she is mentally and emotionally at the time. This is the kind of book one can’t read only once.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 24, 2016
“The way we imagine and talk about life’s purpose depends on social situations, locations and eras.”
This book, never mind the title and what you might assume from it, is pretty far from the self-help section. Written by Dr. Paul Froese, a professor of sociology and a research fellow for the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University, it maintains an academic prose and detachment during all of its chapters. Not so much a book about how to find your purpose in life, it is about how people have tend to give meaning to it, whether by means of religion, work, family, philosophical motives or financial wellness.
It was a surprise to me finding that Dr. Froese teaches at a Christian college, as it keeps an agnostic impartiality to the topic of religion in the book. It never falls on the trap that I have seen on some Christian books in disguise of lecturing you while seemingly maintaining an skeptic approach.
While this book is not a guide on how to find your purpose and meaning, it does give you some interesting thinking points on how those topics are defined according to where you live, your line of work, your relation to family and your participation in social activities.
An interesting reading, that for sure will speak very differently to whoever is reading it, according to their current feeling of success in finding their own purpose in life.
This book, never mind the title and what you might assume from it, is pretty far from the self-help section. Written by Dr. Paul Froese, a professor of sociology and a research fellow for the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University, it maintains an academic prose and detachment during all of its chapters. Not so much a book about how to find your purpose in life, it is about how people have tend to give meaning to it, whether by means of religion, work, family, philosophical motives or financial wellness.
It was a surprise to me finding that Dr. Froese teaches at a Christian college, as it keeps an agnostic impartiality to the topic of religion in the book. It never falls on the trap that I have seen on some Christian books in disguise of lecturing you while seemingly maintaining an skeptic approach.
While this book is not a guide on how to find your purpose and meaning, it does give you some interesting thinking points on how those topics are defined according to where you live, your line of work, your relation to family and your participation in social activities.
An interesting reading, that for sure will speak very differently to whoever is reading it, according to their current feeling of success in finding their own purpose in life.
January 4, 2018
This was a somewhat unusual read. It looked kind of like a "how to find your purpose"-type self-help book, which was simultaneously appealing and not. However, it looked, upon quick reflection, to have a bit more intellectual rigor to it, so I went for it. It turns out to not be a book about how to find your purpose, but more a critique of books of that nature. Froese's study was a bit dry and academic
but interesting. It was an interesting look at the current cultural clash between faith and new-atheism. I liked how Froese kind of showed the flaw of that dichotomy. He is a scientist (or at least a social scientist) and believes that science offers incontrovertible facts. But he clarifies that religion is not necessarily at odds with that despite its predication on unlikely and unprovable assumptions. He shows how faith and a believe in a Truth are choices and often culture and social context influence them. I'm not explaining that well, nor do I want to; I just think Froese does a good job at looking at the whole thing as different phenomena of human consciousness rather than simply the rational versus the irrational.
As I said above, this book was not a guide-book offering ways to find meaning or purpose. However, the author does come up with an interesting thesis: that our imagination allows us (within the context and perhaps limitations of our culture, and our personal experiences) to create our own meaning. And more so, it is our imaginations which make our lives meaningful, on some level, even if we aren't trying to do that or feel like we haven't found meaning. I would be interested in reading more of his philosophy of imagination.
but interesting. It was an interesting look at the current cultural clash between faith and new-atheism. I liked how Froese kind of showed the flaw of that dichotomy. He is a scientist (or at least a social scientist) and believes that science offers incontrovertible facts. But he clarifies that religion is not necessarily at odds with that despite its predication on unlikely and unprovable assumptions. He shows how faith and a believe in a Truth are choices and often culture and social context influence them. I'm not explaining that well, nor do I want to; I just think Froese does a good job at looking at the whole thing as different phenomena of human consciousness rather than simply the rational versus the irrational.
As I said above, this book was not a guide-book offering ways to find meaning or purpose. However, the author does come up with an interesting thesis: that our imagination allows us (within the context and perhaps limitations of our culture, and our personal experiences) to create our own meaning. And more so, it is our imaginations which make our lives meaningful, on some level, even if we aren't trying to do that or feel like we haven't found meaning. I would be interested in reading more of his philosophy of imagination.
May 27, 2025
This book didn't have any real conclusions... We choose our own purpose, but we don't really choose because it's just our personal circumstances, only religious people really feel like they have a purpose, etc. Oh, and if you believe that no one has an actual purpose, as we are all just animals trying to keep our species alive like all other animals, well you are just depressed.
April 13, 2020
Voința, libertatea de alegere, imaginația - unelte pentru a-ți construi propriul scop. Și totul sub influenta societății care ne sculptează după bunul ei plac. Adevărul, conștiința sinelui și noțiunea de timp te va ajuta să fii mai aproape de sens.
January 12, 2023
Not what I was looking for
I appreciate the effort, but I just didn’t find enough ideas in here that I could use for myself. Much of it seemed off-topic. Maybe I just didn’t get it.
I appreciate the effort, but I just didn’t find enough ideas in here that I could use for myself. Much of it seemed off-topic. Maybe I just didn’t get it.
February 25, 2017
Great book for people wants to re navigate there life purpose
March 25, 2019
For me, it wasn't a great read, but not bad either (since I managed to finish it, eventually), and I dare say it is so because I've been for a long time interested in such matters and have read extensively in the "self development and philosophy" category, let's say.
It doesn't say what life's purpose should be, but rather explains how people come to choose their life purpose, what influences people in this aspect. And it's quite interesting.
Cheers
It doesn't say what life's purpose should be, but rather explains how people come to choose their life purpose, what influences people in this aspect. And it's quite interesting.
Cheers
June 25, 2016
I'm not sure about his approach to a lot of things, nor his treatment of the religious experience (or the term 'self-enchantment'). You can't exactly take a secular approach to everything. I did, however, like some of the other topics, like social time.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews