Purpose Beyond the Self: Lessons from Kendall Cotton Bronk

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May 6, 2025

Kendall Cotton Bronk, a Professor of Psychology at Claremont Graduate University and an expert in positive youth development, shares her insights on purpose and meaning. She discusses how purpose evolves across life stages and its importance for well-being. Highlighting the impact of social media and generational shifts, she examines how shared purposes strengthen family and community bonds. Kendall also emphasizes the necessity of aligning purpose with character to contribute positively to society, offering practical wisdom for cultivating a meaningful life.

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INSIGHT

Purpose Is Goal-Driven And Other-Focused

Purpose is a long-term, personally meaningful goal that directs action toward the world beyond oneself.
This beyond-the-self orientation shifts focus from self-concern to contribution, boosting hope and life satisfaction.

INSIGHT

Purpose And Identity Grow Together

Purpose most often emerges during adolescence and young adulthood as identity questions take center stage.
Progress in identity formation and purpose development tend to reinforce each other over time.

INSIGHT

Social Media Cuts Mind-Wandering And Helps Connect

Social media both hinders and helps purpose development by reducing mind-wandering while connecting like-minded people.
Mind-wandering supports meaning-making, so reduced default-mode time can impede discovering purpose.

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What is purpose, and how do we discover, develop, and sustain it—especially in a world full of distraction and complexity?

In this episode, Andrew is joined by Kendall Cotton Bronk, Professor of Psychology at Claremont Graduate University and a leading expert in positive youth development. For over two decades, Kendall has studied how purpose emerges across life stages, why it’s essential for well-being, and how character and virtue help ensure our purpose serves the greater good.

Together, they explore the evolving nature of purpose—from adolescence to older adulthood—what role families and organizations play in shaping it, and why “beyond-the-self” goals are so critical in today’s world. Kendall also shares insights from her cross-cultural research and offers practical takeaways for anyone seeking to support others (or themselves) in living more purposeful lives.

Key Takeaways:

Purpose is a long-term, personally meaningful goal aimed at contributing beyond the self.
It often develops alongside identity during adolescence and young adulthood—but can be cultivated at any life stage.
Purpose is culturally shaped, yet universally relevant: everyone wrestles with the question of what gives life meaning.
Shared purpose—within families, organizations, or communities—requires strong relationships, humility, and intentional alignment across generations.
Purpose needs to be paired with character and practical wisdom to ensure it contributes positively to others and society.

Why This Episode Matters:

Purpose is a powerful driver of resilience, life satisfaction, and contribution. Understanding how purpose develops and how we can support it in others can lead to stronger organizations, healthier communities, and more values-driven work.

About Our Guest:

Kendall Cotton Bronk, Ph.D. is the Principal Investigator for the Adolescent Moral Development Lab and a Professor of Psychology at Claremont Graduate University. A developmental scientist, her work explores the formation of purpose and character in young people and across the lifespan. She has led cross-cultural research around the globe and advised on how educators, parents, and mentors can foster purpose. Her research has been featured in NPR, The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes, and is supported by organizations including the Spencer Foundation, the Templeton foundations, and the Fulbright Program.