Professor of Health Behavior and Health Equity, School of Public Health and Professor of Health Behavior, Department of Family Medicine
Finding Purpose and Meaning In Life: Living for What Matters Most
What You'll Learn
- Explain how purpose contributes to well-being, motivation, and personal growth.
- Identify the values, experiences, and relationships that give your life meaning.
- Create a personal purpose statement and connect it to achievable goals.
- Apply practical strategies to live with purpose at work, at home, and in your community.
4 Modules
8 Hours
2 hrs per module (approx.)
Rating
About Finding Purpose and Meaning In Life: Living for What Matters Most
"Finding Purpose and Meaning in Life" is a beginner-friendly online course that helps you identify your values, develop a personal sense of purpose, and connect that purpose to everyday decisions and goals. Drawing on research from psychology and public health, as well as ideas from philosophy and real-world examples, the course examines how purpose can support well-being and personal growth.
Through guided reflections and practical exercises, you will explore who you are, what matters most to you, and how you want to contribute to something beyond yourself. You will create a personal purpose statement, translate it into meaningful goals, and develop strategies for staying connected to your purpose at work, at home, and in your community.
No previous experience is required. The course is taught by University of Michigan professor Vic Strecher and is designed for anyone seeking greater clarity, direction, or meaning in life.
You'll also receive access to the Purposeful app during the course to help apply these practices in daily life.
Skills You'll Gain
- Goal Setting
- Planning
- Positivity
- Resilience
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Welcome to Finding Purpose and Meaning in Life: Living for What Matters Most, an online course that explores how purpose is discovered, developed, and lived. Drawing from science, philosophy, and real-world practice, you will examine ideas from influential thinkers and reflect on your own values. Through guided exercises and examples, this course helps you clarify what matters most and apply purpose to everyday life.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: What is a Purpose in Life?
- Introduction
- What Matters Most
- Reflecting on What Matters Most
- Self-Enhancing and Self-Transcending Values
Module 2: How Purpose Organizes Our Lives
- Views on Purpose
- “Do you have a purpose in life?”
- Being Purposeful
Module 3: How Purpose Changes Our Lives
- Psychological Pathway
- Behavioral Pathway
- Biological Pathway
- Action Goals and Barriers
Module 4: How Purpose Works in Real Life
- How Purpose Works in Different Contexts
Grading Policy
Course materials and assignments remain open for self-paced learning. To pass the course and earn the certificate, you must achieve an overall grade of 80%. Each of the four module assessments is worth 25% of the overall grade.
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Beginner Level
No prior experience required
Course Video
What People Are Saying
Stop and think about a time in your life when you experienced the greatest amount of personal growth? Was it when you were on the beach drinking martinis? Or was it from a period of great challenge? Consider using the challenge of COVID-19 to build strength and self-tr…
Victor J. Strecher, PhD Professor of Health Behavior & Health Education, U-M School of Public Health
One of the things that having a purpose can provide is the motivation to become one’s best self. Building strength and self-transcending purpose could not only allow you to live longer, but to live better.
Victor J. Strecher Professor of Health Behavior & Health Education, U-M School of Public Health
