5 Questions to Inspire Greater Meaning in Life

In these turbulent times, how can you reach toward your full potential?

Posted May 6, 2026 | Reviewed by Davia Sills

In today’s turbulent times, seeking meaning in life continues to be an important component of resilience . A recent study by Russo-Netzer et al. (2025) explored the important role of meaning and optimism during crisis and war. Prioritizing meaning in life is associated with resilience, life satisfaction, and well-being in everyday living (Russo-Netzer, 2019).

Psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl, M.D. (1985), offered many important contributions to the world’s understanding of meaning. His writings explore the deep human need to reach beyond self-interest toward something more than the isolated self, something that strives for the greater good. His concept of a will to meaning calls on us to realize our full potential and seek personal growth in all the complexity this process invites. Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs proposes the importance of meeting basic needs for survival, safety, belonging, and esteem—and then reaching toward fulfilling our human potential via authenticity , creativity and innovation, meaning-making, and/or peak experiences (Yin, 2025; Maslow, 1987).

Paul Wong, Ph.D. (2016), points out that self-actualization toward our fullest potential is promoted through engaging with living, loving, seeking meaning, and devoting oneself wholeheartedly to service. Wong proposes three levels of pursuing meaning and self-transcendence, with ways to move toward becoming fully present in your daily life.

Level 1: Pursuing optimum meaning in the transcendent big picture. For example, via purposeful living, compassion, creativity, and spirituality .

Level 2: Exploring meaning in the present moment or situation with openness , mindful awareness, interest, and kindness. There are many pathways to strengthening awareness in the present moment, including awe , gratitude , mindfulness , meditation practices, and flow states (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990; Kabat-Zinn & Hanh, 2009; Siegel, 2010).

Level 3: Searching for a sense of calling in life, work, or other endeavors. Moving toward your values, passions, meaning, sense of purpose, or serving the common good in your personal life, role, job, or responsibilities (Dik & Duffy, 2009; Wong, 2016).

How can you stretch toward your potential to live more fully, authentically, and meaningfully?

Wherever you find yourself on life’s meandering path, it’s never too late to pause and look within (Berns-Zare, 2025). You might consider what is personally meaningful to you, what you feel called to explore, or where you might serve the greater good.

If you’d like to offer yourself some time and space to consider your own meanings and potential, these five self-inquiries may offer you companionship on your exploration:

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. No content is a substitute for consulting with a qualified mental health or health care professional.

Berns-Zare, I. (2025). You’re not too old, and it’s not too late: Weekly practices for meaning, mindfulness, and new possibilities at midlife and beyond . Hollister, CA: MSI Press.

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience. New York, NY: Harper & Row.

Dik, B. J., & Duffy, R. D. (2009). Calling and vocation at work: Definitions and prospects for research and practice. The Counseling Psychologist , 37 (3), 424-450.

Frankl, V. E. (1985). Man's search for meaning . New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.

Kabat-Zinn, J., & Hanh, T. N. (2009). Full catastrophe living: Using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain, and illness . New York, NY: Delta Books.

Maslow, A.H. (1987 ). Motivation and personality . (3rd ed). New York, NY: Harper & Row.

Russo-Netzer, P., Tarrasch, R., Saar-Ashkenazy, R., & Guez, J. (2025). Meaning and resilience in war-affected populations during crisis. Frontiers in Psychiatry , 16 , 1678205.

Russo-Netzer, P. (2019). Prioritizing Meaning as a Pathway to Meaning in Life and Well-Being: P. Russo-Netzer. Journal of Happiness Studies , 20 (6), 1863-1891.

Siegel, D. (2010). Mindsight: The new science of personal transformation . New York, NY: Bantam Books Trade Paperbacks.

Wong, P. T. (2016). Meaning-seeking, self-transcendence, and well-being. In Logotherapy and Existential Analysis: Proceedings of the Viktor Frankl Institute Vienna, Volume 1 (pp. 311-321). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29424-7_27

Yin, Y. (2025). Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Its Application to Employee Motivation in Modern Organizations. New York, NY: Columbia University. https://webofproceedings.org/proceedings_series/ESSP/IEMETC%202025/C08.pdf

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Ilene Berns-Zare, PsyD, is a life and leadership coach. She writes about navigating personal and professional life with resilience, meaning, mindfulness, and well-being.

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This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.