The Purpose of Life and Existential Therapy: A Path to Authenticity and Meaning

Introduction: The Universal Quest for Meaning

The search for purpose and meaning in life is a fundamental aspect of the human experience. Across cultures, religions, and philosophies, people have pondered the significance of their existence. Is there a grand purpose that gives our lives meaning, or do we create meaning through our experiences and choices?

For many, finding purpose provides a sense of direction, motivation, and fulfilment. It gives life a deeper significance beyond daily routines and responsibilities. On the other hand, the absence of meaning can lead to feelings of emptiness, confusion, and disconnection. In this article, we will explore the importance of purpose, how to discover it, and how meaning shapes emotional well-being and relationships.

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Why Is Finding Purpose Important?

1. A Sense of Direction

Having a clear purpose offers a sense of direction and focus. It provides a framework for making decisions and prioritising what truly matters. When people have a purpose, they are more likely to:

• Set meaningful goals and stay motivated to achieve them.
• Feel more resilient during difficult times.
• Experience a deeper sense of satisfaction in their accomplishments.

For example, someone whose purpose is to help others might pursue a career in counselling, healthcare, or social work. Their sense of purpose motivates them to overcome challenges and continue making a difference.

2. Emotional and Mental Well-being

Research shows that individuals with a strong sense of purpose often report greater psychological well-being. Purpose is linked to:

• Lower levels of stress and anxiety.
• Improved self-esteem and self-worth.
• A greater sense of life satisfaction.

When people feel their lives have meaning, they are more likely to experience hope, optimism, and emotional stability.

3. Resilience During Adversity

A sense of purpose can also help us navigate difficult times. When facing setbacks, loss, or emotional pain, having a meaningful goal or sense of direction can provide inner strength and motivation. For instance, a person grieving the loss of a loved one may find purpose in creating a charity or support group in their honour, transforming pain into a meaningful cause.

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How to Discover Your Purpose

While some people feel a clear sense of purpose from an early age, for others, it is a lifelong journey of self-discovery. Here are some ways to explore and uncover your own sense of meaning.

1. Reflect on Your Values and Passions

Your values, interests, and passions often hold clues to your purpose. Take time to reflect on:

• What makes you feel most alive and inspired?
• What activities bring you joy, satisfaction, or a sense of accomplishment?
• What causes or issues do you feel strongly about?

For example, someone who feels passionate about protecting the environment might discover purpose through environmental activism or conservation work.

2. Explore Meaningful Relationships

Purpose is often found in meaningful connections with others. Building and nurturing relationships can offer a sense of belonging and significance.

• Parenting or caregiving may bring deep purpose through nurturing and guiding others.
• Volunteering or helping others can provide fulfilment and a sense of contribution.

3. Embrace Growth and Learning

Personal growth and self-improvement can be a source of meaning. Engaging in lifelong learning, pursuing new skills, or facing challenges with curiosity can help you discover hidden passions and expand your sense of purpose.

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The Role of Purpose in Mental and Emotional Health

1. Purpose as a Protective Factor

Studies indicate that people with a strong sense of purpose are more likely to have:

• Better mental health outcomes.
• Lower rates of depression and anxiety.
• Greater resilience against life’s stressors.

A sense of purpose provides emotional stability by creating a framework that helps individuals cope with uncertainty and challenges.

2. Meaning as an Antidote to Nihilism

Without a sense of meaning, people may experience existential nihilism—the belief that life is devoid of purpose. This can lead to feelings of hopelessness and apathy.
However, even in the face of suffering, cultivating personal meaning—such as supporting loved ones, creating art, or contributing to society—can counteract feelings of nihilism.

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Purpose in Relationships

Purpose and meaning also shape how we interact in relationships. People with a strong sense of meaning are often:

• More compassionate and empathetic, valuing connection and authenticity.
• Better communicators, as they align their relationships with their core values.
• More resilient in conflict, approaching challenges with emotional maturity.

For example, couples with shared values and a sense of shared purpose (e.g., raising a family or building a business together) often report stronger, more fulfilling partnerships.

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The Intersection of Purpose and Spirituality

For many, spirituality and religious beliefs provide a sense of purpose. Spiritual practices can:

• Offer a sense of belonging and connection to something greater.
• Provide comfort and guidance during difficult times.
• Inspire acts of compassion and service, which can increase one’s sense of meaning.

For others, spirituality may take a more secular form, such as connecting with nature, practising mindfulness, or engaging in creative expression.

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Barriers to Finding Meaning

While the pursuit of meaning is deeply human, there are common obstacles that can hinder this journey:

1. Fear of Failure or Judgment

Some individuals hesitate to pursue meaningful goals due to fear of criticism or failure. They may settle for unfulfilling paths rather than take risks.

2. Societal Pressures

Society often defines success in material terms (e.g., wealth, status). However, people may feel unfulfilled chasing external validation if it lacks genuine meaning.

3. Lack of Self-Awareness

When individuals lose touch with their authentic selves, they may struggle to identify meaningful goals.

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A Purposeful Life and Existential Therapy

The search for meaning and purpose is a central part of the human experience. Throughout life, people grapple with questions such as:

• Why am I here?
• What gives my life meaning?
• How do I create a fulfilling existence?

When these existential questions remain unanswered or unclear, they can lead to feelings of anxiety, uncertainty, or emptiness. This is where existential therapy offers a powerful framework for exploring and embracing the complexities of life.

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What Is Existential Therapy?

Existential therapy is a form of psychotherapy that draws from existential philosophy, particularly the works of Jean-Paul Sartre, Viktor Frankl, Rollo May, and Irvin Yalom. It is based on the premise that while life is inherently uncertain and finite, individuals have the freedom and responsibility to create meaning.

Rather than focusing on symptom reduction or behavioural modification, existential therapy addresses the deeper issues of human existence, such as:

• Freedom and choice: The realisation that we have the freedom to make choices but must also take responsibility for them.
• Isolation and connection: The tension between being an individual and seeking connection with others.
• Meaning and purpose: The need to find meaning in a life that offers no guaranteed purpose.
• Mortality and finitude: The awareness of death and the resulting urgency to live authentically.

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Core Concepts of Existential Therapy

1. Freedom and Responsibility

Existential therapy highlights the freedom to choose how we respond to life’s circumstances. With this freedom comes responsibility—the obligation to make meaningful choices and take ownership of their consequences.

For example:

• A person feeling trapped in an unfulfilling job may come to realise that they have the freedom to change their career path or mindset, but they also bear the responsibility for that choice.
• An individual in a struggling relationship may recognise that they are free to end or transform the relationship but must accept the consequences of their decision.

2. Authenticity and Living in Alignment with Values

Existential therapy encourages individuals to live authentically—that is, to align their lives with their genuine values, desires, and beliefs. Authenticity involves being true to yourself, even when it challenges societal norms or expectations. It means embracing self-awareness and self-acceptance, rather than conforming to external pressures.

By exploring their core values and recognising when they are living out of alignment with them, individuals can make more authentic and purposeful life choices.

3. Death Awareness and the Urgency to Live Fully

Existential therapy acknowledges that awareness of mortality can be a powerful motivator to live a meaningful life. While the reality of death can evoke fear or anxiety, it also serves as a reminder of life’s preciousness and brevity.

For example: Facing the impermanence of life can inspire people to prioritise what truly matters—spending time with loved ones, pursuing passions, or taking meaningful risks. It can also help individuals overcome procrastination and complacency, motivating them to take action toward their goals.

4. Meaning and Purpose: Creating Your Own Path

A core tenet of existential therapy is that meaning is not given—it is created. Unlike religious or philosophical frameworks that prescribe a universal purpose, existential therapy emphasises that each person must define their own sense of meaning.

According to Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and existential psychiatrist, purpose can be found in:

• Creative pursuits (e.g., writing, painting, building).
• Connections with others (e.g., relationships, acts of kindness).
• Enduring suffering with dignity by finding meaning in hardship.

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How Existential Therapy Helps to Find Purpose

1. Confronting Existential Anxiety

Existential therapy provides a safe space for individuals to explore existential anxiety—the discomfort that arises when facing life’s uncertainties, limitations, or lack of guaranteed meaning. By working through this discomfort, individuals can:

• Gain clarity about their values and aspirations.
• Learn to embrace uncertainty rather than avoid it.
• Develop a greater sense of agency over their lives.

2. Encouraging Self-Exploration

Existential therapists use open-ended questions and reflection techniques to help clients explore:

• Their core values and personal beliefs.
• The authenticity of their current lifestyle.
• Whether they are living in alignment with their true selves.

This self-exploration encourages deeper self-awareness and helps clients make intentional, meaningful life choices.

3. Supporting Authentic Decision-Making

Rather than offering direct advice, existential therapy empowers individuals to make their own decisions in alignment with their values. For example:

• A client struggling with career dissatisfaction may explore whether they are pursuing their true passion or simply following societal expectations.
• Someone experiencing relationship challenges may reflect on whether they are compromising their authenticity for the sake of pleasing others.

By supporting authentic decision-making, existential therapy fosters personal growth and a stronger sense of purpose.

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Existential Therapy and Mental Health

Existential therapy is particularly effective for individuals facing:

• Existential crises: When individuals feel disconnected, lost, or question their purpose.
• Depression or grief: Helping individuals find meaning in suffering.
• Anxiety disorders: Offering tools to embrace uncertainty rather than resist it.
• Identity struggles: Guiding individuals to explore their values and develop a sense of self.

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Practical Exercises Inspired by Existential Therapy

Here are some exercises and practices inspired by existential therapy to help you explore purpose and meaning:

1. Journaling for Self-Discovery:
Write about your core values, passions, and aspirations. Reflect on questions such as:

• What truly matters to me?
• Am I living authentically?
• How can I create more meaning in my daily life?

2. Mortality Reflection Exercise:
While it may seem uncomfortable, contemplating life’s impermanence can be a powerful motivator. Write a letter to yourself from your older self, imagining what you would want to have prioritised or valued.

3. Mindful Meaning-Making:
Practice mindfulness while engaging in meaningful activities (e.g., walking in nature, volunteering, or creative expression). Notice how you feel when you are living in alignment with your values.

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Conclusion: Embracing Life’s Complexities with Purpose

The journey to discovering the purpose and meaning of life is deeply personal. For some, it may come from relationships, creativity, or service, while for others, it may stem from personal growth, spirituality, or making a positive impact.

Existential therapy offers a profound and transformative framework for exploring the purpose and meaning of life. By addressing fundamental human experiences—freedom, mortality, authenticity, and connection—it helps individuals live with greater self-awareness, resilience, and intentionality.

While life may not offer a singular, predefined purpose, each person has the power to create their own sense of meaning through authentic living, meaningful connections, and personal growth. By embracing existential principles, we can move toward a life of greater fulfilment, depth, and purpose.

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Resources

• Frankl, V. E. (2006). Man’s Search for Meaning. Beacon Press. (Original work published 1946)
• Yalom, I. D. (1980). Existential Psychotherapy. Basic Books.
• van Deurzen, E. (2012). Existential Counselling & Psychotherapy in Practice (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
• Spinelli, E. (2005). The Interpreted World: An Introduction to Phenomenological Psychology (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications.
• May, R. (1958). The Origins and Significance of the Existential Movement in Psychology. The American Journal of Psychoanalysis, 18(1), 2–10. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01871924
• Cooper, M. (2003). Existential Therapies. SAGE Publications.
• Schneider, K. J., & Krug, O. T. (2010). Existential–Humanistic Therapy. American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/12156-000
• Wong, P. T. P. (2012). From Logotherapy to Meaning-Centered Counseling and Therapy. In P. T. P. Wong (Ed.), The Human Quest for Meaning: Theories, Research, and Applications (2nd ed., pp. 619–647). Routledge.
• Tillich, P. (1952). The Courage to Be. Yale University Press.