What if the biggest mistake we've all made about meaning is thinking we have to find it?

If you've ever wondered "What am I supposed to do with my life?", felt pressure to discover your purpose, or questioned why your achievements haven't brought the fulfilment you expected, this episode is for you.

In this episode we explore what meaning really is, why it's different from purpose, and why both Gen X and Gen Z are often asking exactly the same questions—just from different stages of life.

Drawing on ideas from Arthur Brooks, Bill Burnett & Dave Evans, Jim Collins and David Brooks, we discuss why meaning isn't something you discover like buried treasure, but something you create through the choices you make, the people you surround yourself with and the way you experience everyday life.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• The difference between meaning, purpose and direction—and why confusing them leaves so many people feeling stuck
• Why the pressure to find your "one true calling" may be holding you back
• The surprising exercise from Stanford's Life Design Lab that changes how you think about your future
• Why the moments when you feel most alive often reveal far more than your biggest achievements
• How difficult experiences can become some of the most meaningful chapters of your life
• Why relationships, contribution and belonging are at the heart of a meaningful life
• A simple way to identify where more meaning might already be hiding in your everyday life

Whether you're in your twenties trying to figure out what's next, or in midlife wondering what the second half of life is really for, this conversation offers a different way of thinking about fulfilment—one that's less about chasing the perfect destination and more about designing a life that feels worthwhile.

If you enjoyed our episodes on life design, success and comparison, wellness, or longevity, this conversation brings many of those ideas together around one of life's biggest questions.

Listen in and discover why the question isn't, "What's my purpose?"—it's, "How can I create more meaning in my life today?"

Hit play now

1:18 The questions about meaning we're asking

2:27 What do we mean by meaning and purpose?

6:28 A test for finding purpose

10:17 Where we find meaning

14:17 How we can miss meanigful moments

16:53 Where to look for meaning

18:16 Meaning in suffering

21:10 How meaning is relational

25:42 How Gen Z might approach finding meaning differently to Gen X

29:25 Practical things you can do to find more meaning in your life

The Gen X/Z Exchange is a UK podcast exploring career change, purpose, wellbeing and modern life through honest conversations between a Gen X dad and his Gen Z daughter - helping you navigate life’s transitions with perspective across generations.

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