The Meaning in Life

Seeking a life that matters.

by Michael F. Steger, Ph.D.

Definitely Sweat the Small Stuff!! (and it's mostly small stuff)

By Michael F. Steger, Ph.D. on May 18, 2009 in The Meaning in Life

The Flash of Insight, The Grand Gesture, The Rousing Speech, The Last Straw. All of these are doppelgangers of The Big Thing, which too many of us wait for to come along and change our lives. The secret is, of course, that it's not coming. Worse, by waiting for The Big Thing, you could let the little things that make life rich, and accumulate into the important experiences of your life, slip away. Read More

Best paragraph I've read in a long time.

Submitted by Chris Yeh on May 18, 2009 - 12:41pm.

Michael,

I loved this piece, so I blogged it and Tweeted it. Hope it gets the attention it deserves!

http://chrisyeh.blogspot.com/2009/05/paragraph-of-day-big-thing.html
http://twitter.com/chrisyeh/status/1839015432
http://twitter.com/chrisyeh/status/1839033959

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Well written and so true!

Submitted by Joan Young on May 18, 2009 - 8:14pm.

Thanks for a piece that will get people thinking about how important the little moments matter in developing our life's passions and living a life filled with meaning. As a kindergarten teacher, the "little moments" have taught me to live life fully and savor. Last week, a student who had been rushing through her work at times and not even doing her work at other times called out my name to come and see her paper. She proudly announced, "Look! I am taking my beautiful time with my work." I took that little moment and made a "big moment" out of it. I encouraged her for carefully putting forth her best effort and smiled,saying, "Wow! Isn't it amazing what you can do when you take your beautiful time?" I will be retweeting your article momentarily!
Thanks again.

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"Live Your Best Life Ever!" Newsweek on Oprah's Big Answers

Submitted by phulphild on June 2, 2009 - 8:08am.

Excellent post, Mike. The search for the Big Thing is pervasive in American culture, and it makes us insecure, shallow and brittle--as individuals and a society.

It's hard to avoid exposure to some huckster or other who has realized his or her Big Thing is selling you and me the Next Big Thing. Newsweek carries out a convincing take-down on the most influential peddler of this kind of thinking in America: Oprah Winfrey. I think you'll enjoy it:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/200025/output/print

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Hi Mike, I totally agree.

Submitted by Carolyn Ee on June 11, 2009 - 3:25am.

Hi Mike, I totally agree. Just watched "Revolutionary Road" on the weekend and I think your post relates to the lives of the couple in the movie, who were chasing a fantasy that everything would be wonderful and they would really "live" if they went to Paris. Even though there was nothing wrong with their lives - they were healthy, the husband was employed, the kids were healthy - they ruined their lives by failing to appreciated the so-called "mundane" things in life like being a family and raising children. Well it just reflects the state of mind of the author of the book, Richard Yates, who was apparently always depressed and drunk. To truly live life is to see the sublime in the "mundanity" of everyday!