Noble Purpose: Joy Of Living A Meaningful Life

by William Damon

This book describes the personal and spiritual benefits of living life in a way that matters, with an awareness that one's life can reflect a sense of higher purpose no matter what the circumstances. The book draws upon religious, philosophical, and literary writings to show how humans in many cultures and historical epochs have pursued noble purposes by answering God's call as each hears it. Noble purpose can be pursued both in heroic acts and in everyday behavior. The book shows how ordinary people--teachers, business professionals, parents, citizens--can ennoble what they do by being mindful of its deepest meaning. It also points out that humility is a necessary virtue for those who pursue a noble purpose. Great heroes are bold, courageous, and sometimes audacious in their determination to succeed; but they are also humble in their awareness of their own limitations. Moreover, a person must never violate basic moral laws while pursuing a noble purpose--the means must be as moral as the ends. Purpose brings coherence and satisfaction to people's lives, producing joy in good times and resilience in hard times. It also presents a hard work in service of noble purpose that transcends personal gain is a surer path to happiness than the self-indulgent pursuit of happiness for its own sake. The closer we come to God's purpose for us, the more satisfied our lives become. From the inspiration and examples conveyed in this book, we learn that all individuals have the capacity to discover their own God-given abilities, to learn the world's need for the services they can provide, and to experience joy in serving society and God in their special ways. As theologian Frederick Buechner writes, "The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet."

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology, Philosophy

128 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2003

About the author

One of the world’s leading scholars of human development, William Damon is Professor of Education at Stanford University and the Director of the Stanford Center on Adolescence. Prior to joining Stanford in 1997, he was University Professor and Director of the Center for the Study of Human Development at Brown University.

By focusing his work on the positive aspects of “growing up” rather than on the severe behavioral problems of adolescents, Damon has put himself on the forefront of the emerging positive psychology movement in the United States. Damon speaks regularly to public and academic audiences about contemporary trends in child development and has written widely about personal development and moral commitment at all ages of life.

His current research explores how people develop character and a sense of purpose in their work, family, and community relationships. He examines how young people can approach their careers with a focus on purpose, imagination, and high standards of excellence. Damon also has written widely about how to educate for ethical understanding. His work is used in professional training programs in the fields of journalism, law, and business.

Damon is the author of 17 books and numerous book chapters and articles on education and human development, especially character development. His work has been influential for research and theory in academic developmental psychology and in the broader society, especially around questions of childrearing and schooling. His 1995 book, Greater Expectations: Overcoming the Culture of Indulgence in Our Homes and Schools helped create a societal push to increase standards for achievement and service and was the recipient of the prestigious Parents’ Choice® award. Damon’s other books written for general audiences include The Moral Child, Some Do Care, The Youth Charter and Good Work. He is founding editor of the well-known series, New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development and editor in chief of the definitive Handbook of Child Psychology, fifth and sixth editions.

Damon’s research and insights have been regularly covered in national publications, including the Boston Globe, The Los Angeles Times, New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, USA Today, Washington Post. His many national talk show appearances include Oprah, Today, Primetime Live, Talk of the Nation, The Diane Rehm Show, and Morning Edition.

Among many national recognitions, Damon was recently elected to the National Academy of Education. He received his bachelor's degree from Harvard University and his Ph.D. in developmental psychology from the University of California, Berkeley. He lives in Northern California.

Reviews

[Sandeep Gautam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very short read on the importance of having a noble purpose- understanding what purpose and calling are, and how we can find / cultivate it. The noble word needs to be stressed, as a purpose that is ignoble can be harmful, so always choose a purpose that serves others in some way and ensure that means are as important as end in achieving that purpose.

[Luigino Bottega · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our “purpose” guides us in life, our response to events with the consequent taking of responsibility for our choices.
Inspiring book!

[Brian Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tiny, incredibly inspiring guide to discovering and creating your noble purpose.

“The examples above—cooking eggs, making golf putts, driving home through storms—are absorbing but transient experiences that people may engage in from time to time. But can you imagine living your whole life with that kind of focus? All of us have that choice. To live in this way means finding large-scale purposes that concentrate your talents, skills, thoughts, and energies in an enduring manner. It means finding something that you truly believe in, something so worth accomplishing that you dedicate yourself to it wholeheartedly, without qualm or self-interest. It means devoting yourself to a cause, or to many causes, that you consider noble purposes.”

~ William Damon from Noble Purpose

Noble purpose.

It’s all about “finding something that you truly believe in, something so worth accomplishing that you dedicate yourself to it wholeheartedly, without qualm or self-interest.”

Helping us discovering and live our noble purposes is, of course, what this book is all about.

I was introduced to William Damon and his work via Angela Duckworth’s Grit . William is one of the world’s leading scientists studying human development and the psychology of morality. ← Awesome.

This is a tiny little book that is incredibly inspiring. (Get a copy here.)

Some of my favorite big ideas from this book include:

1. Noble vs. Heroic - Let’s define noble purpose.
2. Ultimate Purpose Formula - What you love + What world needs.
3. Cultivating Noble Purpose - Nine tips to rock it.
4. “Sic Transit Gloria” - All glory is fleeting. Stay humble.
5. True Happiness - Comes via character + purpose.

I’ve summarized those Big Ideas in a video review that you can watch here.

And I’ve added Noble Purpose by William Damon to my collection of Philosopher’s Notes--distilling the Big Ideas into 6-page PDF and 20-minute MP3s on 600+ of the BEST self-development books ever. You can get access to all of those plus a TON more over at heroic.us.

[Jonathan]

None

[Wanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very short book, but I enjoyed reading it. I like the message of the book.