Living a Life of Meaning

What would living every moment of your life like it matters look like? Maybe it would mean avoiding social media and other mind-rotting distractions that drain our focus and energy. Maybe it’s a parent leaving work early to make it to their kid’s baseball game, knowing no paycheck can replace that moment. Or maybe it’s a student pushing through study sessions even when they feel burnt out, understanding that the effort they put in today will shape tomorrow’s opportunities. Living like it matters doesn’t mean being busy every second, it means being intentional with our time.

In the talk A Hero's Journey, Jeff Sanders shares a thought-provoking exercise, ask the role models in your life great questions. He notes that when you ask people over 60 what really matters at the end of life, they tend to say the same thing. It’s never about money, power, or fame. Those things fade. What remains are three questions. Have I contributed something meaningful? Was I a good person? Who did I love, and who loved me?

Have I contributed something meaningful? This can be rephrased as, “Who have I helped?” In the parable of the talents, we learn that God wants us to take what He’s given us and multiply it. We aren’t meant to hide our gifts or keep them to ourselves. If we are idle and lazy, we risk losing our God-given abilities. We contribute something meaningful by taking our unique gifts and using them to bless others. It’s about finding our calling and fulfilling it in a way that pleases God. Contributing doesn’t have to be world-changing, sometimes it’s encouraging someone when they feel like giving up, offering your time to help a neighbor, or using your skills to solve a problem for someone in need.

Was I a good person? This isn’t about being perfect or never making mistakes. It’s about the kind of character I built over a lifetime. Being a good person means choosing honesty when lying would be easier, showing kindness when it isn’t convenient, and standing up for what’s right even when it’s unpopular. It’s about how I treated people who couldn’t give me anything in return. In the end achievements and possessions won’t matter if I didn’t live with integrity and compassion. When I face God, I want to be able to say that I tried my best to follow His commandments, serve His children, and live in a way that reflects the Savior’s love. I want him to welcome me in and tell me job well done.

Who did I love, and who loved me? As I lay in the hospital bed at the end of my life, it won’t be the size of my house or the number in my bank account that will matter, it will be the relationships I built. It’s about making time for the ones who matter most, even when life feels too busy. It means calling a friend just to check in, spending time with family without distractions, and choosing to forgive even when it’s hard. The measure of my life will be found in the people who knew without a doubt that I loved them not because I said it, but because I showed it time and time again. 

As I ponder about these three questions I realize the outline they give me is to live a better life. To truly start living a life of meaning means to live like Christ did. We are not alone in our efforts to be more meaningful we have access to divine help every minute of every day. 

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