The Power of Meaning

I have a great photo in my humor collection of a pig who looks like he’s smiling at the camera. The caption says, “I turn vegetables into bacon. What’s your superpower?” I have an unsurprisingly large number of bacon jokes in this collection, but this one remains a favorite.

Humor aside, let me ask you something: if you could have any superpower, what would it be?

Now—what if I told you that you already have one?

You do. In fact, you have several. But today, I want to focus on one in particular:

The power to attach meaning to your life.

From the grandest dreams to the smallest daily frustrations, from the unpredictable behavior of others to the routine of your morning coffee—you decide not only how meaningful something is, but what that meaning is. It’s a remarkable ability—one that can build you up or tear you down, depending on how you use it.

The Dangers

Like any power, this one comes with risks:

• Giving too much importance to the unimportant.

• Making everything important.

• Making nothing important.

• Focusing on the wrong problem.

• Assigning meaning that isn’t connected to reality.

You can spend a lot of time climbing the ladder, only to realize it’s leaning against the wrong wall.

The Positives

Used well, this power helps you:

• Sort out and prioritize what truly matters.

• Look beyond the “presenting issue” to the real problem underneath.

• Attach meaning that flows from your sense of purpose and faith.

• Recognize that your first reaction is often emotional—but not always useful.

This is how we create a life that feels anchored instead of reactive.

What Makes Something Meaningful?

Start by asking yourself: what does “meaningful” mean to me?

What matters—and why? Keep asking “why” until the answer gets uncomfortable or real. That’s usually where meaning lives.

Meaningful things tend to be:

• Lasting — the longer something endures, the more weight it carries.

• Personal — the closer it hits home, the more it shapes us.

• Life-giving — joy, peace, laughter, fulfillment.

A house, a car, a toothbrush—they all have utility. But only people and purpose give them meaning.

We attach more meaning to what’s close: a stranger’s tragedy may touch us briefly; a friend’s pain moves us deeply; a personal loss changes everything. That’s not selfish—it’s human.

Unpacking the Baggage

We all carry meaning attached to things or people that no longer serve us.

You can’t just “drop it.” But you can unpack it.

Open the bag. Sort through it. Think the thoughts that need thinking. Feel the feelings that need feeling. Decide what’s yours to fix, what’s yours to learn, and what’s simply yours to release. Keep what still teaches you. Store the rest where it can’t trip you up.

That’s how we honor the past without living in it.

Starting a New Day with Meaning

Today is a new day—so start it on purpose.

I didn’t say start it great. Not every day can be great; if they were, the word would lose its meaning.

Start it good. Good is enough. Some of those good days will surprise you and turn out great anyway.

You’ve heard all the advice: early workouts, meditation, journaling, breakfast smoothies, sunrise yoga. Great ideas—until life gets in the way. Then we feel guilty for missing them, which kind of defeats the point.

Here’s a simpler ritual: start your day with thinking.

It costs nothing, requires no schedule, and can be done anywhere: the shower, the car, the coffee line.

What kind of thinking? Try this:

• What am I thankful for?

• What gives my life meaning today?

• What are five things I will get done?

• What interruptions might show up, and how will I handle them?

• What small reward will I give myself at day’s end?

You don’t need perfection. You just need intention.

And do something physical every day, even if it’s just a short walk. Movement clears the mind and keeps the dark clouds away. You don’t have to run a marathon—just move enough to remind your brain that you’re alive and still in charge of this body.

Final Thought

You already have the Power of Meaning. You’re using it every day—maybe without realizing it.

Once you become aware of it, you can use it to shape the life you want instead of simply reacting to the one you have.

It’s not about control. It’s about choice.

And that, my friend, is the closest thing to a real superpower any of us will ever need.

Keep asking, wisdom pays. I’m rooting for you.

Roger

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