Off Script : Notes on Living Life to the Fullest

Joel Ien, Marci Ien’s father and a celebrated teacher and professor, always started the school year by putting two numbers, say 1905 and 1942, separated by a dash, on the chalkboard. Then he would ask his students, “What do you think that dash means?” And his answer was this: The dash is your lifetime. All the years that come between the two dates are compressed into that dash. What will you do during those years? How will you find meaning and purpose in life? The paradoxical secret to finding meaning is not to look for it. The way to achieve a purposeful life is not to search for abstract meaning in it but to remind yourself every day to do the right thing, love fully, pursue fascinating experiences and undertake important tasks, thus discovering how these activities lead to happiness and meaning. Weaving together inspirational stories, practical strategies and insight from prominent—and not-so-prominent—people, Marci Ien shows you how to ·         Find community in the face of secular society, retirement and the gig economy ·         Value work while understanding the perils of believing that only doing what you love counts ·         Move beyond yourself and give back, no matter how much time or money you have ·         Redefine and re-evaluate ambition to find balance and contentment in your life ·         Slow down and find meaning in the everyday ·         Do the right thing by determining your moral, ethical framework and living within it If you, like so many other people in today’s hectic world, long to slow down in order to understand what true meaning and purpose is, Off Script: Notes on Living Life to the Fullest will help you enjoy life, find happiness and make the most of the time you’ve been given.