Life on Purpose (Victor J. Stretcher)

OVERVIEW

Every once in awhile I peruse my local bookstore for any new non-fiction books with “death,” “meaning,” or “purpose” in the title (we all have our hobbies, right?) That’s how I came across Victor J. Stretcher’s Life on Purpose. It can be summed up succinctly: a purpose is a goal that has deep value, and having a purpose for your life is good for your well-being (it can even protect you against disease and death). “To create a motivating purpose in life, we must each ask ourselves, “What matters to me?” and “What do I value?”” Many purposes are self-enhancing, but the most motivating and powerful ones are self-transcending… they feel important not just to us, but to others (Stretcher draws heavily from Victor Frankl’s ideas in Man’s Search for Meaning). To stay aligned with your purpose(s) requires a daily input of energy; it’s a dynamic activity. It also requires willpower. To increase energy and willpower make sure you get enough sleep and physical exercise, eat well, practice mindfulness, and engage your creativity.

Purpose is not the same thing as meaning, but living a life with purpose is a key ingredient for it (Stretcher thinks meaning asks the question “Why am I here?”). To live a life that is engaged, rich, and lived with urgency, we must reflect on our purpose (our value-bound goals) and commit ourselves daily to the task of working toward that purpose.

WHAT NOW? (actions for mortal atheists)

Valuable questions to ask yourself

·         What are my core values?

·         Is there anyone I look up to, whom I would like to emulate?

·         What would you want the epitaph on your headstone to read?

·         What are the personal, family, work, and community goals in my life that matter most to me?

Write out your answers, then stick that piece of paper somewhere you’ll see it every day. I love that Stretcher says he’s seen hundreds and hundreds of answers over his tenure and no two purposes are the same. Purposes are like fingerprints!

IN SUM:

Is this book entirely secular? No.

If I had to describe the book in one sentence? A book about the importance of purpose (though perhaps slightly too much is dedicated to lifestyle changes that increase your energy and willpower so you can better pursue your purposes).

Who should read this book? Anyone else looking for contemporary content about purpose.