PERMA-V: Meaning

Discovering Purpose

  • Reflect on your core values and what matters most to you
  • Connect your studies/work to real-world impact and contribution
  • Engage in volunteer work and community service
  • Explore how your present/ future career can serve others
  • Participate in causes and movements you believe in
Meaning-Making Activities:

Personal Reflection:
  • Values clarification exercises
  • Life purpose journaling
  • Legacy thinking activities
  • Spiritual or philosophical exploration

Action-Oriented:

  • Community service projects
  • Social justice initiatives
  • Environmental sustainability efforts
  • Mentoring younger students/colleagues

Videos Worth Watching

How to Connect with What Matters to You

In the face of a crisis, this exercise can help you identify your most important values. Based on the Science of Happiness podcast episode "How to Deal with Uncertainty" (October 2018).

Find Your Life's Purpose Instantly With 3 Powerful Questions | Tyler Cerny | TEDxJCU

NY Times did a study that showed that only 25% actually know their life's purpose. People are wandering through life unsure about why they are here on this earth. Most of us will start with why to find their purpose, but in reality we should end with it. As a former collegiate athlete here at John Carroll, to playing basketball overseas in China, Tyler transitioned his competitive nature into growing and scaling businesses. He has scaled dozens of companies by helping them grow collectively by more than $10M.

How to Figure Out What You Really Want | Ashley Stahl | TEDxLeidenUniversity

Have you ever wondered what you actually want? Then join Ashley Stahl–career coach, author, former counterterrorism and podcast host– as she shares her 3 key steps to help you connect to your life's purpose, discover your ideal career path, and make what she likes to call a "You Turn," the decision to get out of fear and tap into to what you actually want out of life.

5 steps to designing the life you want | Bill Burnett | TEDxStanford

Designers spend their days dreaming up better products and better worlds, and you can use their thinking to re-envision your own life, says design professor Bill Burnett. He shares five tips to try, whether you’re at the start of your career or contemplating your next act.

How to Ikigai | Tim Tamashiro | TEDxYYC

Have you ever wondered what your purpose in life is? Tim Tamashiro delights us with a journey into the discovery of Ikigai, a treasure map for finding one’s own happiness.

How to know your life purpose in 5 minutes | Adam Leipzig | TEDxMalibu

The Pencil's Tale - a story that everyone should hear

A short but beautiful story for life :)

How Your Conversations Can Help Kids Discover their Purpose

Teens can talk with their parents and other adults to guide them toward meaningful life goals.