Meaning Really Matters

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The life priorities of younger and older Americans turn out to be strikingly similar,according to a new MetLife Mature Market Institute (MMI) study. The research, which compares attitudes toward having “meaning” or a sense of “purpose” in life for those age 25 to 74, revealed that while the extended recession has had a noticeable impact on people’s lives ‐‐ particularly in financial areas – its impact has been relatively modest in terms of meaning and purpose.

“Meaning Really Matters: The MetLife Study on How Purpose is Recession‐Proof and Age‐Proof,” is a follow‐up to 2009’s “Discovering What Matters,” which looked at the 45‐ to 74‐year‐old group only. A key finding was that “meaning,” particularly the importance of family and friends, is a primary component of living “the Good Life” for all age groups. Both studies, based on the work of leading life coach and best‐selling author Richard Leider (The Power of Purpose, Repacking Your Bags), report that most adults want financial freedom, good physical and mental health, deep relationships, a sense of purpose and to feel that they belong, all synopsized as: money, medicine, meaning and place.

The study is accompanied by a worksheet that helps people plan for “the Good Life” by having them answer a series of questions that will lead to an outline for vision and purpose in their lives. The tool, “Planning Tips: Meaning Really Matters,” can be downloaded from the MMI Web page.
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