Psychology says finding life’s purpose requires active engagement, trial and error, and evaluation of experiences

Finding the meaning and purpose in life is not easy, but it is important. It is certainly a process that unfolds over time through continuous action, reflection, and experience. There are many ways through which humans can go about finding the meaning and purpose of life. One of them is through treating each activity and experience in life as a way of helping you get further to defining meaning.

What makes the process of finding meaning in life a crucial endeavor is that for centuries, or even for most of human existence, life has centered strictly on getting through each day searching for food and shelter. With the passage of time as the social evolution progressed, humans naturally sought ways to make daily activities feel important beyond basic survival and reproduction.

According to a psychology expert, the search for meaning and purpose in life is what really separates humans from non-human beings. Writing for the online platform Psychology Today, Daniel Marston, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist specializing in cognitive-behavioral therapy and owner of Marston Psychological Services in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, laid emphasis on social evolution and called it more important than genetic evolution.


From a psychological standpoint, social evolution plays a far greater role. While drawing parallels between the two concepts, Marston said that while genetic evolution influences physiological reactions to the environment, social evolution provides critical context for how individuals respond emotionally and behaviorally to those reactions.

In the Psychology Today article, Marston asserted that searching for purpose in life is an active process shaped by deliberate choices. Out of many ways of finding meaning and purpose, the expert focused on meaningful engagement and the active search for purpose and personal philosophy through experience.

According to him, purpose is not something that simply appears. It is actually developed through continuous involvement in core areas of life such as work, personal relationships, caregiving, creative pursuits, and community involvement. Rather than waiting for fulfilling circumstances to present themselves, individuals must actively seek out activities and test whether they provide a genuine sense of value.

Finding direction requires trial and error

Marston believes that finding purpose and direction requires trial and error and is not something that happens in a single day, and it is very important for people to take up new initiatives and activities. Even if an activity ultimately proves unfulfilling, taking the step to participate provides valuable clarity on what does or does not align with one's priorities.

Building personal philosophy through multiple experiences

There are multiple experiences that people go through in life, and not all experiences are meaningful. Even if an experience turns out to be unfulfilling, it serves as a data point that helps shape an overarching understanding of life's direction.

It is crucial for all individuals to evaluate their experiences in relation to one another, allowing individuals to identify patterns in what brings true value to their lives. By reviewing your daily experiences and trying to draw connections, individuals can refine their personal values, and build a coherent, overarching philosophy of meaning and purpose over time.