No one wakes hoping to live a meaningless life. But triviality is seductive.
You don’t have to wear a scowl. You do need courage to confront triviality.
The 5 Seductions of Triviality:
#1. Stay busy.
Busyness hides aimlessness. Motion fakes direction.
Hustle isn’t all bad. But it’s not a destination.
Beyond busyness:
- Schedule a 10-minute pause each day to ask, “Is what I’m doing meaningful?”
- Keep a “to-don’t” list beside your to-do list.
#2. Fit in.
Triviality whispers, “Fit in.” Peer pressure isn’t just for teens.
Conformity kills uniqueness. Fit in to disappear.
Fit in just enough to connect and contribute.
Beyond fitting in:
- Speak your viewpoint without needing people to embrace it.
- Challenge the status quo with forward-facing optimism.
#3. Let others define you.
Hollow life says play safe. Let others write the story and take the blame.
Beyond being defined by others:
- Name your top values.
- Evaluate your schedule by your values.
#4. Live comfortably.
Triviality sleeps beside ease.
It’s easy to splash in the shallows. Failure feels fatal when meaning is at stake.
Comfort matters, but growth requires discomfort.
Beyond comfort:
- Schedule one step toward the thing you really want to do at least once a week.
- Challenge yourself by asking, “What important work am I avoiding?”
#5. Pretend everything is just great.
Shallowness says, “Put on the mask. Hide the struggle.”
Hypocrisy kills your soul.
Beyond pretending:
- Share one real struggle with someone you trust this week.
- Set a growth goal, not just a performance goal. (Share it.)
Key idea: A meaningful life calls you to resist the seductions of triviality.
Which idea in this post can you take to heart?
Dig deeper:
(PDF) Meaningful Leadership and Employees’ Well-being: Process through Meaningful Work
