It started as a curiosity.  My father-in-law, John, being a laser physicist, wondered about the nature of light and matter.  He designed an experiment in his head pondering what would happen if light were trapped in a mirrorred box.  He so enjoyed the process of his wondering that it has now spanned a 20 year journey culminating with a complex theory, formulas, a book, several papers, and a feeling of exhilaration in proposing new ideas to a field of physics that has been fairly stuck for over 100 years.  Beyond the major accomplishment of slowly developing the confidence and ability to address the unanswered questions of Einstein’s work without a PhD or institutional support, it is a pleasure to witness John’s growth. In watching my father-in-law through the years, I have seen his quest expand from a mere question, to an obsession, into a genuine sense of life’s purpose. His journey has been a great lesson for me in how a sense of purpose is so important to living a life full of meaning, connection, and well being.

Stanford psychologist William Damon and his colleagues define a sense of purpose as “a stable and generalized intention to accomplish something that is at once meaningful to the self and of consequence to the world beyond the self.”  While research has shown the personal benefits to those with a strong sense of purpose, such as a lower risk of death and an overall sense of happiness, its benefits are caused by a sense of the opposite of personal gain, but a connection to something bigger.  I remember well when John had a health emergency several years back.  While being wheeled into the room for a significant procedure, his request to my mother-in-law if something were to happen to him, was to please publish his work.  Now at the age of 80, he maintains his vitality by sharing his work for further exploration and the excitement in having made a contribution to the field he loves.

Besides a fulfilling sense of connection on a grand scale, having a sense of purpose reduces daily stress.  Those with purpose wake up with a plan of what to do each day, reducing boredom, isolation, and time spent dwelling on other matters compared to people who report a low sense of purpose.  A strong sense of purpose also makes people less vulnerable to anxiety, depression, and substance abuse.  And a sense of purpose can come from many different sources besides theoretical physics.  You can get it from volunteering, painting, gardening, or caregiving.  What seems to be the necessary ingredient is a pull to thinking outside of yourself and getting lost in a process that feels good just in the doing of it.  Related to this, purpose is closely linked to “flow,” the state of intense absorption in which we forget about our surroundings and ourselves.  People with a sense of purpose experience flow more frequently, and as Mihaley Czikszentmihalyi’s research shows, flow is a powerful source of well being.

Finding purpose, many psychologists believe (including me), is such a cornerstone to mental health and yet it can be elusive.  We have all heard stories about the great athletes who stop playing the game and become depressed and alcoholic.  Or the people who retire after a long and successful career, only to feel a sense of emptiness and isolation.  Experts in the area of well being encourage us that often your sense of purpose can be found in the world right around you when you begin to look for what matters to you.  They suggest reading books and articles that interest you, looking for organizations that have meaning for you, and putting the time into focusing on the things you are already doing that you wish you could do more of or that bring you awe or gratitude. 

And don’t be afraid of the pain!  Often purpose can come from making meaning out of painful events in our lives or requires taking risks in offering ourselves and our creations to others.  Rejection will happen along the way.  Even John, who was at times dismissed or discouraged because of his lack of accepted credentials by those in the field’s inner circle, has had to stay persistent and determined, often needing to reject his rejectors.  But quite frequently the fresh ideas comes from an outsider’s perspective.  And while, Lord knows, I will never have the capacity to know how to evaluate John’s theories for their scientific accuracy, I am certain the process of his creativity has produced something we all must take notice of!

For those brave enough, here are the article and video links:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353049276_A_quantum_vacuum_model_unites_an_electron’s_gravitational_and_electromagnetic_forces

https://www.quantizedwave.com/