The Meaning of Life

Dear Ask 3 Guys,

What is the true meaning of life?

Thanks!
KB



We know it is short, and we know that there is no exact answer, but let's give it a try.

First, fire away with your thoughts on life, and the response from A3G will be posted shortly.

Have fun with this one.

Thanks for the support!

Ronnie's Take:

The meaning of life is a very personal question to each person. HAPPINESS is the meaning of life. Now comes the hard part. What is the key to your happiness.

The key to my happiness is contuially grow as a person each day while getting maxium pleasure for myself as I strive for inner peace. I grow by getting out my comfort zone at every chance. Realizing every person could have something to offer me. A personal experience or knowledge that I havn't learned yet.
The pleasure part again is really personal. Everyone is selfish wether you believe it or not. We do things because we enjoy it. Many people will help out at the drop of a hat. The reason is this makes them feel good about who they are(thus a selfish act). Selfish in these terms isn't a negative. Where you gain your pleasure is what determines the person you are. Good or bad. Your pleasure drives you in your decisions in life. You will avoid any situition that makes you feel uncomfortable unless you see a bigger pleasue by going through the uncomfortable event. The ulimate goal will always be your PLEASURE.
The inner peace part is the biggest struggle. This is where I fight myself. What you do to pleasure yourself (not masterbation sickos) directely affects my inner peace. Example the rush of gambling makes me feel great. The result(losing my money) destroys my inner peace. When I can achieve the point that all my pleasures are the right choices and that is what I strive for, then I will have found the meaning of life. I hope this place exists.

--Ronnie
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Victor's Take:



Wikipedia.com:





"The meaning of life constitutes a philosophical question concerning the purpose and significance of human existence. This concept can be expressed through a variety of related questions, such as Why are we here?, What's life all about? and What is the meaning of it all? It has been the subject of much philosophical, scientific, and theological speculation throughout history."





In simple terms (and mine) - life is what you make of it.





Every day you are given a gift: the gift of life. What will you choose to do with it?





For me, life is about stepping outside of my comfort zone and taking calculated risks and well thought-out chances. Life is also about learning everyday and lending a helping hand to a family member or friend in need.

Also, life also is about doing the things that make me happy: spending time with friends, cooking, reading, writing, enjoying a good glass of scotch and a great cigar...





I try (and there is the operative word) - try - to live everyday like a gift, that it may be my last. This is not an ideal strategy for estate planning or building wealth, or leaving a legacy... So, it will not work for everyone. But, it works for me. I LIVE... memories and moments over material and titles...





I am as far from perfect as perfect is - I get lazy, procrastinate, make bad choices and decisions just like the rest of us. But, I try.





Life is what you make of it.





Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "All life is an experiment; the more experiments you make the better."





People that ask the question, "What is the true meaning of life?" are often unhappy in their lives. What are you going to do to change it?





You asked, there you go...



--Victor
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Eddie's Take:

My approach is simple:

Live according to some type of standards. You should have a basic understanding of the morals deemed appropriate for ideal living. That's the easy part.

Next, you should always try to learn new things, and, in return, you should share what you know with others. The movie Pay it Forward paints an ideal approach to this. Giving back-- that's the hard part for many. Even if it is something trivial, you never know how much of an impact it could have on the person that you helped.

Normally, all of the things that "I wish I would do more of" are the things that I need to be doing to fulfill my interpretation of the meaning of life. Often, we all find ourselves either regretting not doing things, or actually regretting things that we do.

Here's a few simple things to remember:

1. Think before reacting.

2. You can choose the actions, but you cannot choose the consequences.

3. You can't choose what happens to you, but you can choose how you react to it.

4. Work to live... Don't live to work.

I could go on and on, but I went shrimping all night, and I am beat. Great crab and shrimp boil today though!

--Eddie
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