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Finding Purpose and Meaning In Life: Living for What Matters Most

Finding Purpose and Meaning In Life: Living for What Matters Most

Instructor: Vic Strecher

276,792 already enrolled

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

4.8

(2,854 reviews)

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

9 hours to complete

Learn at your own pace

97%

Most learners liked this course

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

4.8

(2,854 reviews)

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

9 hours to complete

Learn at your own pace

97%

Most learners liked this course

What you'll learn

Understand that having a strong purpose in life is an essential element of human well-being
Know how self-transcending purpose positively affects well-being
Create a purpose for your life
Apply personal approaches and skills to self-change and become and stay connected to your purpose every day

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

4 assignments

Taught in English

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There are 4 modules in this course

Welcome to Finding Purpose and Meaning in Life: Living for What Matters Most!

In this course, you’ll learn how science, philosophy and practice all play a role in both finding your purpose and living a purposeful life. You will hear from historical figures and individuals about their journeys to finding and living a purposeful life, and will walk through different exercises to help you find out what matters most to you so you can live a purposeful life. As an added benefit, you will also have complimentary access, for a period of time, to the Purposeful App. This groundbreaking mobile and desktop app is designed to help you build a purposeful rhythm into each day, so you can bring your best self to what matters most. Look for more information in Week 1 of the course! By the end of this course, you will: 1. Understand that having a strong purpose in life is an essential element of human well-being. 2. Know how self-transcending purpose positively affects well-being. 3. Be able to create a purpose for your life (don't be intimidated, this is different from creating "the purpose" for your life). 4. Apply personal approaches and skills to self-change and become and stay connected to your purpose every day. We are thrilled that you are here! We look forward to hearing and learning from you throughout this course!

In this week, Dr. Strecher introduces the foundations of purpose in life as a central, self-organizing life aim. Through personal stories, philosophical insights, and neuroscience research, you’ll explore how self-affirmation, core values, and reflection on identity lay the groundwork for discovering and living with purpose.

What's included

15 videos6 readings1 assignment4 discussion prompts5 plugins

15 videosTotal 61 minutes

Welcome to Finding Purpose and Meaning in Life6 minutes
Course Overview3 minutes
Aims, People & Themes4 minutes
A Story: Nietzsche's Walking Stick2 minutes
Who Am I?2 minutes
What Do I Value?3 minutes
7 Questions Exercise Introduction3 minutes
How do you want to be remembered?6 minutes
The Headstone Test: Exercise Introduction1 minute
Purpose: A central, self-organizing life aim6 minutes
Purposeful: Engaging Best Self to Life Purpose5 minutes
The 2500 year old MRI1 minute
Eudaimonic or Hedonic7 minutes
Self-Transcending or Self-Enhancing3 minutes
Loving-Kindness Meditation Practice2 minutes

6 readingsTotal 24 minutes

Who is This Course For?5 minutes
Access to Purposeful by Kumanu2 minutes
Course Syllabus5 minutes
Pre-Course Survey10 minutes
Dialogue with Coursera Coach2 minutes
Supplementary Readings for the Course0 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 10 minutes

Week 1 Quiz 10 minutes

4 discussion promptsTotal 40 minutes

What is your interest in finding purpose in life?10 minutes
Discuss: Who Am I?10 minutes
The Headstone Test: Reflection10 minutes
Crafting and Sharing a Purpose Statement10 minutes

5 pluginsTotal 75 minutes

What is My Best Self?15 minutes
Reflecting on the 7 Questions15 minutes
Dialogue About Your Headstone15 minutes
Finding Your "BE" Goals15 minutes
Are You Self-Transcending or Self-Enhancing?15 minutes

In this week, Dr. Strecher explores how purpose helps shape the direction of our lives—from the values we hold to the actions we take. Through philosophical stories, personal reflections, and interactive exercises, you’ll learn how to examine and define your own “be,” “do,” and action goals. By connecting these goals to a deeper purpose, you’ll begin to see how purpose serves as an internal compass, organizing your identity and day-to-day decisions.

What's included

13 videos1 reading1 assignment2 discussion prompts4 plugins

13 videosTotal 70 minutes

Welcome to Week 29 minutes
A Story: 2001 A Space Odyssey2 minutes
Learning about Purpose from Camus, Sartre, and Nietzsche5 minutes
A Story: Albert Camus2 minutes
What kind of cook are you?8 minutes
The Curious Camel7 minutes
A Story: Obuntu3 minutes
Purposeful: Be, Do, and Action Goals7 minutes
Living a "Big" life6 minutes
Meet a Few Purposeful People8 minutes
Life that Transformed with a Purpose3 minutes
Identifying Your Be, Do, and Action Goals3 minutes
Week 2 Summary3 minutes

1 reading

Supplemental Readings for the Course0 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 10 minutes

Week 2 Quiz 10 minutes

2 discussion promptsTotal 20 minutes

"Thou Shalt" Reflection10 minutes
Share Your "Be," "Do" and "Action" Goals10 minutes

4 pluginsTotal 60 minutes

Self-Determined versus "Thou Shalt" Values15 minutes
Being a Curious Camel15 minutes
Purposeful People You Know15 minutes
Identify Your Goals15 minutes

In this week, Dr. Strecher explores how purpose contributes to human flourishing through three interconnected pathways: psychological, behavioral, and biological. Drawing from personal examples, scientific research, and evolutionary insights, you’ll examine how a strong sense of purpose supports resilience, improves health, and drives meaningful action.

What's included

8 videos2 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt2 plugins

8 videosTotal 55 minutes

Why Purpose Works: Psychological Pathway, Part 17 minutes
Why Purpose Works: Psychological Pathway, Part 26 minutes
Post-traumatic Growth, Part 1 4 minutes
Post-traumatic Growth, Part 24 minutes
Why Purpose Works: Behavioral Pathway8 minutes
The Cookie Study7 minutes
Looking Ahead7 minutes
Why Purpose Works: Biological Pathway8 minutes

2 readingsTotal 5 minutes

Purpose Changes Your Life5 minutes
Supplemental Readings for the Course0 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 10 minutes

Week 3 Quiz 10 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

Action Goals and Barriers10 minutes

2 pluginsTotal 30 minutes

Grow from Your Difficult Experiences15 minutes
Taking Action15 minutes

In this week, you'll explore how purpose is experienced and expressed across diverse real-world settings. From students navigating early adulthood, to veterans recovering from trauma, to professionals seeking meaning in the workplace, and retirees finding new purpose later in life—this week brings to life the powerful role that purpose plays throughout the human journey.

What's included

6 videos3 readings1 assignment1 plugin

6 videosTotal 52 minutes

How Purpose Works: College & Military10 minutes
How Purpose Works: Work & Workplaces10 minutes
How Purpose Works: Aging & Retirement7 minutes
How Purpose Works: Family & Community9 minutes
Living with Purpose as a Student with Jim Loehr13 minutes
Vic's Story2 minutes

3 readingsTotal 22 minutes

Welcome to Week 42 minutes
Post-Course Survey10 minutes
Keep Learning with Michigan Online!10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 16 minutes

Week 4 Quiz 16 minutes

1 pluginTotal 15 minutes

Purpose in Your Chosen Context15 minutes

Instructor

Instructor ratings

4.8 (1,076 ratings)

Vic Strecher

University of Michigan

2 Courses281,027 learners

Offered by

University of Michigan

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4.8

2,854 reviews

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Showing 3 of 2854

Reviewed on Nov 26, 2020

This is, by far, the most life-changing course I have EVER taken. I am so thankful for this learning experience. I hope I can someday see you teaching live. Warmest regards to whom it may concern.

Reviewed on Oct 21, 2020

Comprehensive introduction to the subject of purposeful living without being overwhelming in terms of time commitment or complexity of information. Very well produced and easy to follow.

Reviewed on Apr 24, 2025

I found this course beneficial in focusing my thinking about what is and should be important to me in life. Taking a self-critical approach to this issue has been difficult but revealing and freeing

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Frequently asked questions

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

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You will be eligible for a full refund until two weeks after your payment date, or (for courses that have just launched) until two weeks after the first session of the course begins, whichever is later. You cannot receive a refund once you’ve earned a Course Certificate, even if you complete the course within the two-week refund period. See our full refund policy.