1. Meaningful Living Project: Overview 2011 Looking Back and Moving Forward © Paul T. P. Wong No part of this presentation may be duplicated or used in any form without the permission of Paul T. P. Wong

2. The Biggest Challenge Facing Humanity How do we live the good life in the face of uncertainty, adversity and mortality? How do we live the good life in the face of uncertainty, adversity and mortality? How can we prosper and flourish in a world full of suffering, injustice and conflict? How can we prosper and flourish in a world full of suffering, injustice and conflict? Why can’t we find an scientific answer to these important questions? Why can’t we find an scientific answer to these important questions?

3. The Human Quest for Meaning Down through history, many answers have been proposed and found wanting Down through history, many answers have been proposed and found wanting Life is not a problem to be solved but a mystery to be lived and appreciated Life is not a problem to be solved but a mystery to be lived and appreciated The human quest for meaning holds the key to understanding the mystery of life. The human quest for meaning holds the key to understanding the mystery of life.

4. The Mission of the Meaningful Living (M4L) Project Promote mental health for individuals & communities Promote mental health for individuals & communities Contribute to global flourishing through meetup, websites, & education Contribute to global flourishing through meetup, websites, & education Provide a practical guide to meaningful living based on research, psychological insights and time-proven wisdoms Provide a practical guide to meaningful living based on research, psychological insights and time-proven wisdoms

5. Objectives of M4L Advance the well-being of individuals and communities through meaningful living Advance the well-being of individuals and communities through meaningful living Learn how to flourish in spite of fate, circumstances and human foibles Learn how to flourish in spite of fate, circumstances and human foibles Develop strengths and overcome weaknesses Develop strengths and overcome weaknesses Discover your calling and passion for living Discover your calling and passion for living Learn the roadmap to meaningful living Learn the roadmap to meaningful living Learn how to navigate troubled waters Learn how to navigate troubled waters Learn how to transform negatives to positives Learn how to transform negatives to positives Learn the wisdom of living with paradoxes Learn the wisdom of living with paradoxes

6. The Paradoxes of Human Nature Both kind and mean Both kind and mean Both good and evil Both good and evil Both altruistic and selfish Both altruistic and selfish Both growth-oriented but self-destructive Both growth-oriented but self-destructive Both rational and irrational Both rational and irrational Both free and determined Both free and determined Both pleasure-seeking and self-sacrificing Both pleasure-seeking and self-sacrificing Every virtue can be a vice, and vice versa Every virtue can be a vice, and vice versa

7. The Paradoxes of Life Pleasurable things are often harmful Pleasurable things are often harmful Beneficial experiences often come from hardship and suffering Beneficial experiences often come from hardship and suffering Don’t know how to live meaningfully until we face our own mortality Don’t know how to live meaningfully until we face our own mortality We are free to live fully only when we devote our lives to serving a higher purpose We are free to live fully only when we devote our lives to serving a higher purpose Less is more, loss is gain Less is more, loss is gain

8. The tragedies of Life Striving for something only to find that there is nothing at the end of the rainbow Striving for something only to find that there is nothing at the end of the rainbow Realize that we have been busy all our life but have never really lived Realize that we have been busy all our life but have never really lived Engage in self-destructive behavior Engage in self-destructive behavior Gain the whole world but lose our soul Gain the whole world but lose our soul

9. Who Benefits from M4L The M4L Project is for YOU, if any the following applies to you: Gain a better understanding of your true self and your place in the world Gain a better understanding of your true self and your place in the world Become the person you are meant to be Become the person you are meant to be Pack more meaning and purpose in your life Pack more meaning and purpose in your life Discover, pursue and fulfill your dream Discover, pursue and fulfill your dream Develop strengths & overcome weaknesses Develop strengths & overcome weaknesses Learn more coping skills and life intelligence Learn more coping skills and life intelligence Learn to resolve personal issues & overcome bad habits Learn to resolve personal issues & overcome bad habits Learn how to live well and die well Learn how to live well and die well Want to make a difference in the world Want to make a difference in the world

10. Part 1: Meaning & Flourishing 1. We live only once: How to live well and make it worthwhile. 2. Human agency and free will 3. The human quest for meaning 4. What is the meaning of life? 5. What is the good life? 6. The PURE principle of flourishing. 7. Living on purpose: Discover your calling and passion. 8. Life intelligence: Understanding who you are and what life is all about. 9. Responsible action: Do the right thing 10. Enjoyment: Pathways to happiness and well-being

11. What You Have Learnt in Part 1 You are free to create a better future You are free to create a better future Be careful what you dream for Be careful what you dream for Meaning mindset vs. success mindset Meaning mindset vs. success mindset Meaning is the royal road to the good life Meaning is the royal road to the good life When you pursue meaningful living, happiness comes in through the backdoor When you pursue meaningful living, happiness comes in through the backdoor The PURE principle of meaningful living The PURE principle of meaningful living Self-transcendence means to live for something bigger than yourself Self-transcendence means to live for something bigger than yourself Viktor Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Meaning” Viktor Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Meaning” The positive psychology of meaning and flourishing The positive psychology of meaning and flourishing

12. Feedback From the Graduates Need to have more small group discussion after the formal presentation Need to have more small group discussion after the formal presentation During the lecture, need more time to ask questions in order to gain a better understanding of the key concepts During the lecture, need more time to ask questions in order to gain a better understanding of the key concepts Need more emphasis on the skills and practice of meaningful living Need more emphasis on the skills and practice of meaningful living

13. Part II: Meaning and Resilience 1. ABCDE: A new formula for resilience. 2. The wisdom of acceptance. 3. The magic of belief. 4. Just do it: The power of commitment. 5. Discover the hidden dimensions of life. 6. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again: Persistence and flexibility. 7. Tragic optimism: The hope that never dies. 8. True grit: What does not kill you makes your stronger. 9. The terror and transformation of suffering and death. 10. The Yin-yang of positive psychology: good + bad = the best life.

14. What You Will Learn in Part II Learn the intervention strategy of ABCED Learn the intervention strategy of ABCED Learn how to develop tragic optimism Learn how to develop tragic optimism Learn how to develop resilience Learn how to develop resilience Learn how to transform death anxiety to death acceptance Learn how to transform death anxiety to death acceptance Learn how to live well and die well by optimizing the positives and transforming the negatives Learn how to live well and die well by optimizing the positives and transforming the negatives

15. Activities related to M4L Taking part in a Meaningful Living Group Taking part in a Meaningful Living Group Contributing to The Meaningful Living Project page on Facebook Contributing to The Meaningful Living Project page on Facebook Contributing to the Positive Living Newsletter Contributing to the Positive Living Newsletter Becoming a member of the International Network on Personal Meaning (INPM) Becoming a member of the International Network on Personal Meaning (INPM) Taking courses on Meaning-Therapy Taking courses on Meaning-Therapy Volunteering for M4L and INPM Volunteering for M4L and INPM Doing something meaningful for the community Doing something meaningful for the community

16. A New Vision for Global Flourishing Transforming individuals and communities through meaningful living Transforming individuals and communities through meaningful living Developing interactive websites to provide resources and training on meaningful living & meaning therapy Developing interactive websites to provide resources and training on meaningful living & meaning therapy Setting up Meaningful Living Groups in various communities and countries Setting up Meaningful Living Groups in various communities and countries Training facilitators to start up such groups Training facilitators to start up such groups Developing an international network of meaningful living groups Developing an international network of meaningful living groups Good people + Good community + World peace = The good life Good people + Good community + World peace = The good life