Ready to begin or deepen your meditation practice? Join Dan Harris and world-class meditation teachers on the 10% with Dan Harris app here: https://app.danharris.com/membership Something shifted around 2008. Young people who had been happier than older generations suddenly became more depressed, more anxious, and more lonely. Arthur Brooks spent six years figuring out why — and what to do about it. The answer, he says, is a full-blown meaning crisis. And it's not just for young people. Arthur Brooks is a professor at Harvard Business School, a bestselling author, and host of the podcast Office Hours. His new book, The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness, is out March 31st. In this conversation, Arthur shares: - Why the meaning crisis is a neurological problem — and which side of the brain holds the key - The three components of meaning: coherence, purpose, and significance — and how to tell them apart - His two-question exam for diagnosing a meaning crisis: "Why am I alive?" and "For what would I die?" - How to interrupt the doom loop — rebel, detox, and learn to be bored again - Why working out without headphones is a legitimate spiritual practice - The dangerous mistake of trying to eliminate suffering rather than lower resistance to it - Why falling in love is the ultimate right-brain experience — and how to assign it as homework - The difference between compatibility and complementarity in romantic partnerships - How to find a calling rather than just a career — and the four career paths that actually lead to meaning - Three types of beauty that reliably illuminate the meaning centers of the brain Subscribe to watch more 10% Happier videos: https://www.youtube.com/tenpercenthappier Follow Dan Harris on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/danharris/ https://www.tiktok.com/@danbharris https://www.facebook.com/DanHarrisABC https://twitter.com/danbharris https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-harris-91ba5716b/ Timestamps: 0:00:00 Introduction and what sparked the book 0:04:00 The brain science of meaning: left vs. right hemisphere 0:09:00 The three components of meaning: coherence, purpose, significance 0:15:00 Interrupting the doom loop: the first step in the plan 0:18:00 Three steps to break the cycle: rebel, detox, learn to be bored 0:26:00 Getting comfortable with boredom — Zen techniques and the default mode network 0:30:00 The electric shock experiment and raw dogging reality 0:36:00 The two big questions: Why am I alive? For what would I die? 0:40:00 Give your heart away: falling in love as a right-brain practice 0:47:00 Why pornography is especially damaging to the meaning centers of the brain 0:49:00 Transcend yourself: service, religion, nature, and music 0:53:00 The homeless man who prayed for Arthur — and what that exchange revealed 0:59:00 Look for your calling: earned success + serving others 1:03:00 The four career paths: linear, expert, transitory, spiral 1:07:00 Surround yourself with beauty: artistic, natural, and moral beauty 1:13:00 Never waste your suffering — suffering = pain × resistance 1:17:00 The failure journal exercise and Viktor Frankl 1:19:00 Where to find Arthur's work and the new book #meaning #happiness #mentalhealth This episode is sponsored by: LinkedIn Ads — Reach the right professionals with precision targeting. Spend $250 and get a $250 credit at http://www.linkedin.com/happier BetterHelp — Online therapy, matched to your needs. Get 10% off your first month at https://www.betterhelp.com/happier Quō — The smart business phone system with AI call logging and summaries. Try free + 20% off your first six months at https://www.quo.com/happier Hyperfocus with Rae Jacobson — A podcast exploring ADHD, neurodivergence, and mental health through conversations with scientists, doctors, and researchers. Search for Hyperfocus with Rae Jacobson wherever you get your podcasts.