“The Search for Significance
We have found in our research that all individuals feel the most satisfied with their life when they are on a search for significance, whether they acknowledge it or not. Americans need to know that their lives have meaning and purpose: we are not just passing time and taking up space. The success of Pastor Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Life (it has sold 25 million copies and is the best-selling hardcover book in American history), speaks to our hunger for significance. The most mentally healthy retirees are those who have found ways to satisfy their search for significance.
In seeking to understand and flesh out this important concept, we developed a comparison we call adventure vs. quest. As adventure is an activity that benefits the person, such as playing tennis or traveling. Adventures are an important part of health living and are what most individuals look forward to when they think about retirement. However, an adventure has no sustainable significance.
In contrast, a quest involves one or more participants lending themselves to a greater cause. A quest transforms a poor or average retirement into a mind-blowing, all-fulfilling, energized retirement journey. The possibilities are endless and only limited by our unwillingness to expand our horizons. Examples of possible quests include:
- Regularly scheduled volunteering (individual or organizing a group)
- Mentoring someone younger than yourself (adult or child)
- Teaching classes to adults or children or
- Catastrophe relief efforts