Before this course: Wellbeing Practices: routines and reflection (course 9.14.2), which came after Purpose, Gratitude & Wellbeing (course 9.14). You already know the WHO definitions, the research links between purpose and health (and why they are links, not proof), a first list of values and a purpose draft, gratitude, weekly check-ins, and reflection that ends in one action. This course goes deeper into values and meaning, with structured reflection. A line marked "Tip" is practical advice, not a research finding.
01
Before this course, and the three meanings of "meaning"
In simple words
A meaningful life is like a good story. You understand what is going on (it makes sense), the hero is heading somewhere (purpose), and the story feels worth telling (it matters). You can work on all three.
Key facts
- Psychologists Frank Martela and Michael Steger (2016) describe three facets of meaning in life:
| Facet | What it means | A question to ask yourself |
|---|---|---|
| Coherence | Your life feels understandable and makes sense | "Can I tell the story of my life so far in a way that makes sense to me?" |
| Purpose | You have core goals, aims and a direction | "Where am I heading?" |
| Significance | Your life feels worthwhile and worth living | "What makes my life feel like it matters?" |
- They argue that researchers should study these three separately instead of treating "meaning" as one thing. In course 9.14, purpose was the focus; here you look at all three.
- Can meaning grow in a week? In a 2026 randomized trial with 219 college students, a 7-day online activity of taking photos of meaningful things in nature, with or without writing, raised meaning in life, wellbeing and life satisfaction compared with a waitlist group. But the effects were not still there one month later.
- Limits: the three facets are a framework from a theory paper, not a test you can pass or fail. Short activities can help for a while; lasting change usually needs ongoing actions (Lesson 3).
Step by step
- Draw three columns: Coherence, Purpose, Significance.
- Rate each from 1 to 10 for how you feel right now.
- Under each, write one thing that adds to it in your life (a person, an activity, a belief, a place).
- For seven days, take one photo a day of something that feels meaningful to you (outdoors in nature if you can), and write two lines about why.
- At the end of the week, rate the three facets again.
- Check: you have two sets of ratings, seven photos with notes, and one thing you noticed.
Watch on YouTube
Videos by other creators on YouTube, for reference. They are not made by or affiliated with The Future Market.
LESSON 01Before this course, and the three meanings of "meaning"
Read the video script
[Host] "What makes a life feel meaningful? Researchers split it into three parts."
[Text on screen: Coherence, Purpose, Significance] "Coherence: life makes sense. Purpose: you have a direction. Significance: your life feels worth living."
[Screen: phone photo of a park bench with a note] "In one study, a week of photos and notes about meaningful things lifted meaning for a while, but not a month later."
[Host] "So we will build meaning with actions you keep doing, not one-week tricks."
Try it now
Rate your three facets, run the seven-day photo week, and rate again.
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I'm learning "Purpose & Meaning: values work" on The Future Market. Lesson 1: "Before this course, and the three meanings of "meaning"". What the lesson teaches: - Psychologists Frank Martela and Michael Steger (2016) describe three facets of meaning in life: - Facet - What it means - A question to ask yourself - Coherence - Your life feels understandable and makes sense - "Can I tell the story of my life so far in a way that makes sense to me?" - Purpose - You have core goals, aims and a direction - "Where am I heading?" - Significance - Your life feels worthwhile and worth living - "What makes my life feel like it matters?" - They argue that researchers should study these three separately instead of treating "meaning" as one thing. In course 9.14, purpose was the focus; here you look at all three. - Can meaning grow in a week? In a 2026 randomized trial with 219 college students, a 7-day online activity of taking photos of meaningful things in nature, with or without writing, raised meaning in life, wellbeing and life satisfaction compared with a waitlist group. But the effects were not still there one month later. The exercise I'm working on: Rate your three facets, run the seven-day photo week, and rate again. I'm stuck. Please: 1. Explain the main idea in plain, simple words with one everyday example. 2. Walk me through the exercise one small step at a time. Ask me what I've done so far before giving the next step. 3. Don't just give me the final answer. Help me do it myself, and check my work when I share it.
I'm a parent helping my child (about 8 years old) with a lesson called "Before this course, and the three meanings of "meaning"" from the course "Purpose & Meaning: values work". Here's what the lesson says: A meaningful life is like a good story. You understand what is going on (it makes sense), the hero is heading somewhere (purpose), and the story feels worth telling (it matters). You can work on all three. The activity: Rate your three facets, run the seven-day photo week, and rate again. Please explain this so an 8-year-old understands: short sentences, a fun everyday example, and no hard words. Then give me 3 simple questions I can ask my child to check they understood, and a way to do the activity together, one tiny step at a time.
Sources
- Martela & Steger (2016), "The three meanings of meaning in life: Distinguishing coherence, purpose, and significance," Journal of Positive Psychology, 11(5), 531-545: doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2015.1137623
- Aalto University research portal record of Martela & Steger (2016): research.aalto.fi/en/publications/the-three-meanings-of-meaning-in-lif
- Chen, Zhang, Liu & Gan (2026), "Nature-based meaning-focused photography intervention enhances subjective well-being: A three-arm randomized controlled study," Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 18(5), e70218: doi.org/10.1111/aphw.70218
My notes
Saved on this device
02
Map your values
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03
From values to action
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04
Values affirmation, and a lesson about replication
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05
Purpose across cultures and across a life
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06
Contribution: what volunteering research really says
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07
Meaning in hard times, your purpose statement, and when to get help
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++
Final project
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??
Quiz
What are the three facets of meaning in life described by Martela and Steger?
Coherence, purpose and significance.
What happened one month after the seven-day photo activity in the 2026 trial?
The effects were no longer there.
How many basic values does Schwartz's theory describe?
Ten.
Which values ranked highest on average across many nations?
Benevolence, self-direction and universalism.
Why can some choices feel hard, according to the values circle?
Values on opposite sides of the circle, like freedom and tradition, can pull against each other.
What is the difference between a value and a goal?
A goal can be finished; a value is an ongoing direction you keep acting on.
What were the four steps of the Activating Values activity?
Choose a valued area, write why it matters, choose a specific action, and do it in the next week.
What did the large 2017 replication of values affirmation find?
No effects, so the effect may be fragile when used widely.
What does ikigai mean?
A sense of life worth living, or purpose in life.
Why can't the Ohsaki Study prove that ikigai makes people live longer?
It is observational: it shows a link, not cause.
What did the volunteering review find in experimental studies?
They did not confirm the benefits seen in cohort studies.
What should someone do if a person is in danger right now?
Call the local emergency number; crisis lines differ by country.
EX
Final exam
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CE
Certificate
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