Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Get started
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
Life Worth Living summary
Miroslav Volf
Matthew Croasmun
Ryan McAnnally-Linz
A Guide to What Matters Most
19 mins
Brief summary
'Life Worth Living' offers a fresh perspective on the meaning of life, helping readers develop a framework for understanding what makes life truly worth living. Drawing from a wide range of disciplines, this book provides practical guidance for cultivating purpose and finding fulfillment.
Table of Contents
Life Worth Living
Summary of 4 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 4
The Question with Many Answers
If you’re reading or listening to these words, there’s a good chance you’re alive. We can all agree on that, right? But what does it mean to be alive? What responsibilities, if any, does this gift come with? Here we begin to find ourselves at a point of divergence, for there are many schools of thought on what it means to live a good and ethically sound life.
Whether or not we have responsibilities as human beings is part of what the authors call “the Question.” Really, the Question is made up of many different, interconnected questions, such as: What matters most? What does a flourishing life look like? And, who do we answer to?
Before we dig into the philosophical and theological ideas behind the Question, let’s look at the process we’ll be taking along the way. We can start by considering one of the biggest parts of the Question: What is worth wanting?
You can think of the process as something akin to a deep-sea dive. You want to go down, past the realm of automatic, reflexive action, and proceed through self-reflection in order to reach self-transcendence. Here, we can determine what you see when you think of a full and flourishing life. Remember, we’re not asking, “What do I want?” But rather, “What is worth wanting.” What would make life fulfilling and meaningful to you?
Now, as with any deep-sea dive, once you discover what is truly worth wanting you have to come back to the surface. Back to action. This is important because the point is to live a life that reflects this understanding. Sure, you might be able to tell people what’s important to you, but do your actions support your words?
Before we move on, let’s look at one more fundamental part of the Question: Who are we responsible to? To frame it another way, you might ask yourself: Are my actions subject to judgment?
This is an essential question because it will help you to spot the differences in the various philosophical and theological theories that we’ll touch upon. As you might imagine, this question can also be answered in different ways.
As a handy shortcut, the authors use the old Smokey the Bear saying, “Only you can prevent forest fires,” to highlight the three primary modes of responsibility.
First is the “only you” part. In this scenario, you are the primary agent of responsibility. But then there’s the forest, which you can think of as the sphere of your responsibility – your family, your community, the world around you. Finally, there’s old Smokey himself. He’s the authoritative figure. The rule giver and the judge. If you want to make meaningful choices in life, you’ll want to at least consider all three of these responsibilities: yourself, those around you, and the possibility of a higher power.
In the next sections we’ll start to look at some more compelling visions of the good life, and see how the great philosophical and theological minds answer the Question.
Want to see all full key ideas from Life Worth Living?
Key ideas in Life Worth Living
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is Life Worth Living about?
Life Worth Living (2023) is about discovering your own vision for a meaningful life. It offers a wide spectrum of philosophic and theological ideas in order to better understand what is most important to you, and how to turn that understanding into action.
Life Worth Living Review
Life Worth Living (2021) explores the profound question of what makes life truly meaningful, offering fresh perspectives and thought-provoking insights. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- It offers a multilayered analysis of what constitutes a fulfilled life, encompassing philosophy, theology, and psychology, providing a comprehensive exploration of the topic.
- The authors' diverse backgrounds and perspectives bring richness and depth to the discussion, offering a balanced and nuanced understanding of the complexities of human existence.
- With its down-to-earth approach and relatable anecdotes, the book maintains a captivating and engaging tone, ensuring that readers stay engrossed in the exploration of life's meaning.
Who should read Life Worth Living?
- Anyone who’s ever wondered about the meaning of life
- People interested in theology and comparative religion studies
- Curious minds looking for inspiration and guidance
Categories with Life Worth Living
Book summaries like Life Worth Living
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
37 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
Life Worth Living FAQs
What is the main message of Life Worth Living?
The main message of Life Worth Living is to live a meaningful and fulfilling life by embracing the sacred value of each individual and fostering a sense of belonging.
How long does it take to read Life Worth Living?
The estimated reading time for Life Worth Living is several hours. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is Life Worth Living a good book? Is it worth reading?
Life Worth Living is a thought-provoking book that inspires reflection on the deepest questions of human existence. It is definitely worth reading.
Who is the author of Life Worth Living?
The authors of Life Worth Living are Miroslav Volf, Matthew Croasmun, and Ryan McAnnally-Linz.
What to read after Life Worth Living?
If you're wondering what to read next after Life Worth Living, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- How to be F*cking Awesome by Dan Meredith
- My Philosophy for Successful Living by Jim Rohn
- The Law of Attraction by Esther and Jerry Hicks
- Mind Magic by James R. Doty
- Feeling Is The Secret by Neville Goddard
- Getting Past Your Past by Francine Shapiro
- The Practice of Not Thinking by Ryunosuke Koike
- Why We Do What We Do by Edward L. Deci
- You Deserve to Be Rich by Rashad Bilal
- The Science of Intelligent Achievement by Isaiah Hankel