Rethinking Our Relationship with Work (Back to Work, Better)

In this book, Emily Esfahani Smith draws on research from positive psychology, insights from philosophers and writers like Viktor Frankl and Aristotle, and real-life stories to argue that the unending pursuit of happiness has distracted us from what really matters. She outlines four pillars essential to living a meaningful life: belonging, purpose, storytelling, and transcendence. These pillars are central to religious and spiritual systems but can also be built without them. The book explores how individuals can find meaning in their daily lives, even in menial tasks, through reframing their work as opportunities to help others and feeling understood and affirmed by others. It also discusses how creating a narrative about one’s life and experiencing awe can contribute to a sense of meaning.