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Plato, an influential ancient Greek philosopher, 
had profound insights on the quest for meaning  

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in life. He believed that the search for 
true meaning and purpose was central to  

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human existence. Plato's philosophy emphasized 
that genuine meaning could be found by aligning  

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one's thoughts, actions, and life with 
higher principles and ideals. He believed  

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that life's purpose wasn't merely about seeking 
pleasure or material gain but involved a deeper  

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exploration of truth, virtue, and wisdom.
In his writings, often presented as dialogues  

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between characters, Plato encouraged critical 
thinking and philosophical inquiry as essential  

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tools for discovering one's true purpose. He 
argued that through rational reflection and  

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open-minded dialogue, individuals could uncover 
the authentic meaning of their lives and pursue  

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a path of moral and intellectual growth.
Ultimately, Plato's views on finding  

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meaning in life revolve around the idea that 
it's an ongoing journey of self-discovery,  

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guided by reason, virtue, and the pursuit of 
higher truths. Plato’s philosophy is referred  

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to as Platonic Idealism. Along with Socrates, his 
mentor, and Aristotle his student, Plato is one of  

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the most influential individuals in the entire 
history of humankind, he invented the written  

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dialogue and the dialectic form of philosophy. 
Some of his most famous books are “The Republic”,  

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“The Symposium”, “The Apology of Socrates”, 
“Allegory of the Cave” and “The Dialogues of  

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Plato” in which the main character is Socrates, 
who influenced Plato’s philosophy to a huge  

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extent. Even after 2400 years, Plato’s 
work is still popular and relevant today,  

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which is why in this video we talk about how to 
find meaning in life from the philosophy of Plato.

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1. Move Away from distorted beliefs
In one of the Platonic dialogues, Socrates  

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said “Unexamined life is not worth living”
For Plato, finding the meaning of life starts  

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with focusing on your own existence rather 
than blindly accepting opinions and beliefs.  

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He believes that we often adopt ideas without 
truly understanding them or connecting them to  

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a universal purpose. Socrates, Plato's prominent 
figure, employs a unique conversational method  

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rooted in doubt and scrutiny. He questions every 
statement and definition that governs our lives,  

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asking fundamental inquiries like "Why 
do you believe that?" or "Can we consider  

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alternative viewpoints?" This approach 
can be applied both in conversations with  

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others and when pondering personal decisions. 
For instance, you can practice this by asking  

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these questions when facing life's challenges. 
Let's say you're at a crossroads in your career.  

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You've been working in a job for several years, 
but you're feeling unfulfilled and uninspired.  

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You're contemplating whether to stay in your 
current job or explore new career opportunities.  

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Using Plato's approach, you might start by 
asking yourself some fundamental questions: 

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Why am I in this job in the first place?
This 
question prompts you to reflect on your initial  

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motivations and whether they still 
align with your current situation.

 

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What do I truly enjoy and value in my work?
Here, 
you delve into the aspects of your job that  

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bring you satisfaction and fulfillment.


Am I following this career path because  

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of societal expectations or personal 
passion?This question encourages you to  

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examine whether external pressures or your own 
genuine interests are driving your choices.

 

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Could there be alternative career paths that 
better align with my values and aspirations?You  

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could explore whether there are different 
career options that might offer a more  

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meaningful and satisfying experience. 


And finally how can I verify or disprove  

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my assumptions about my career 
choices?
This prompts you to seek  

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evidence or gather information that supports 
or challenges your beliefs about your career. 

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As you ponder these questions, you may 
realize that your current job no longer  

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aligns with your values and aspirations. This 
might lead you to consider a career change,  

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perhaps pursuing a path that resonates more 
with your true passions and desires. Plato's  

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philosophy encourages you to undergo 
a process of self-examination and,  

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if necessary, a significant life direction shift 
to pursue a more meaningful and purposeful path. 

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Imagine that your beliefs and choices in life are 
like shadows on a wall. These shadows aren’t the  

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real thing, just distorted representations. Plato 
suggests that to truly understand the meaning of  

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life, you need to move away from these distorted 
beliefs and find a more solid foundation,  

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akin to stepping out of the shadows and into the 
light. This process of moving from ignorance to  

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understanding is what Plato calls "conversion." 
It's like waking up to a new awareness. 

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 To do this, you need to look inward and discover 
your genuine desires and needs that bring true  

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value to your life. Plato always says that this 
process of conversion might mean making big  

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changes in your life, like giving up things that 
don't really matter to you and focusing on what's  

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most important. It's about always searching 
for a deeper meaning in everything you do.

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2. Follow your love
In the words of Plato  

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“Love is simply the name for the 
desire and pursuit of the whole”.  

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In Plato's "Symposium," love is explained 
as a deep desire for a meaningful life and  

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understanding the ultimate purpose of everything. 
It's like a journey that changes us profoundly  

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and can seem a bit crazy because it disrupts 
our usual habits and thoughts. For example,  

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let’s say you live a typically conventional and 
routine life. You go to work, socialize with  

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friends, and generally follow the expectations of 
society. Life is comfortable, but there's a sense  

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of emptiness and a lack of deeper meaning. One 
day, you meet someone. This encounter sparks a  

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romantic attraction, and you fall deeply in love. 
However, in the context of Plato's philosophy as  

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presented in the "Symposium," this love is not 
just about the emotions and the attraction to  

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the physical appearance. It goes beyond that; 
it becomes a transformative force in your life. 

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Your love for that person awakens a profound 
desire for meaning. It's no longer just about the  

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romantic relationship; it's about understanding 
why love itself is so important and what it  

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means for one’s existence. This love begins to 
change you. You start to become more considerate,  

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compassionate, and selfless. You are inspired to 
improve yourself, not just for your partner but  

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to become a better person in general. Love 
disrupts your usual habits. You might find  

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yourself questioning the materialistic pursuits 
that used to define your life, such as a focus on  

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career success or material possessions. This can 
be unsettling as it challenges the familiar path.  

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As you delve deeper into your love for your 
partner, you begin to contemplate the nature  

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of love itself. You explore philosophical 
questions about the purpose of love,  

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the role it plays in human existence, and how 
it connects to larger concepts like beauty and  

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truth.Through this journey, you gradually realize 
that love, as Plato describes it, is a means to  

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access a higher understanding of life's purpose. 
It's not just about loving one person; it's about  

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tapping into a universal force that drives 
us towards greater wisdom and enlightenment. 

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Love is often seen as an emotion or something 
related to our relationships with people,  

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which is true, but Plato believed it goes much 
deeper. Love is the desire to fill a missing part  

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of ourselves. Plato talked about an ancient idea 
that humans were once one being, and love is the  

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longing to reunite with that lost unity. This idea 
of love leads us through different stages, like  

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climbing a ladder, with each rung representing 
a step towards finding the highest meaning: 

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Step 1 Physical Attraction: At first, we're 
attracted to someone's physical appearance—like  

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their eyes or their smile. But this level 
has problems because physical beauty changes,  

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and there's nothing entirely unique about it.
Step 2 Beauty of Personality: This next step is  

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to appreciate someone's inner beauty—the 
beauty of their personality and soul. 

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Step 3 Beauty of Knowledge: As we go further, 
we realize that individual personalities are not  

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enough. We start seeking the beauty in knowledge 
and the universal truths that explain the world. 

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And finally,Step 4 Ultimate Beauty: The final 
step is to love the highest Beauty itself,  

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which is the ultimate source of 
meaning and harmony in the universe. 

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This "Ladder of Love" shows that love is the 
driving force behind everything we do, think,  

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and desire. It encourages us to seek meaning at 
every stage of our journey. In our modern lives,  

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where many people feel anxious and lost, 
understanding love in this way can help.  

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This definition of love is not only limited to 
our romantic pursuits but with everything we do.  

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Anxiety and loss of meaning are widely 
known for modern day people. We believe  

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that a Platonic understanding of love can help 
us in that kind of situation. For example,  

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when you lose your job or something that 
appears to be the source of meaning,  

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your first step cant be hopeless disappointment, 
but rather you should attempt to rebuild the  

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Ladder of your love. Find something that catches 
your attention and just follow it. For example,  

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let’s say you are passionate about collecting rare 
stamps. Concentrate your attention on it and find  

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out the final desire that lies behind this hobby. 
It can be a hidden love of History, Geography,  

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Politics and so on. The only thing you need to 
change and rule your destiny is attention to your  

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love in small things.  When you face challenges 
or lose something that seems meaningful, you can  

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rebuild your sense of purpose by paying attention 
to what you love, no matter how small it may seem.  

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It's a path that can lead you to discover 
the deeper meaning in everything around you.

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3. Build the “republic” of your soul
Plato ponders “Isn't it quite necessary for us  

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to agree that the very same forms and dispositions 
as are in the city are in each of us?” 

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Being an ancient philosopher, Plato had an 
idea about how a perfect society should be  

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organized. He believed that this ideal society 
should have three main groups of people:  

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philosophers aka the teachers, guardians aka 
the protectors, and laborers aka the workers. 

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Philosophers are the wise and knowledgeable 
individuals who should lead society. They are  

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freed from the responsibilities of protecting 
the state and producing goods because they are  

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focused on understanding deep ideas and truths. 
The Guardians’ primary job is to protect society.  

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They don't need to worry about making things 
or money; their duty is to keep everyone safe.  

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Laborers are responsible for producing goods and 
resources. Unlike the philosophers and guardians,  

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they don't make decisions about the direction of 
society; they focus on providing for everyone's  

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needs. Of course in reality this is simply 
allegorical, as humans are too nuanced and  

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individual to be placed perfectly into one of 
these three societal groups, nor does anyone  

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have a right to categorise another human being in 
this way. Indeed, Plato also believed that these  

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three groups corresponded to different aspects of 
a person's soul. Philosophers represent wisdom in  

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a person, Guardians represent their bravery, and 
Laborers, their self-restraint. So, just as these  

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qualities come together to form Plato’s version 
of an ideal society, they also form an ideal  

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person. This idea may seem philosophical, but it 
has practical implications for our real lives. 

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Plato suggested that these virtues can 
be seen as stages of personal growth 

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Self-Restraint and Satisfaction: 
At first, we focus on meeting our  

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basic needs and striving for wellbeing.
Limiting Material Pursuits: We eventually  

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realize that chasing after material wealth 
endlessly can be harmful, and we start seeking  

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fulfillment beyond material possessions.
Taking Care of Others: As we mature,  

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we begin to care for others, like pets, children, 
or aging parents. This stage teaches us love  

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and care but often remains task-oriented 
rather than understanding a higher purpose. 

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Real Wisdom and Love: The final stage involves 
achieving true wisdom and love, where we see the  

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world not as a place to possess things but as a 
space filled with subjects to love and cherish.  

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Plato believed that this process of personal 
development is innate in our nature and aligns  

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with our experiences. It's about learning to see 
the world in a deeper and more meaningful way. 

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In practical terms, this means that our main goal 
in life is to allow our inner potential to unfold  

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and develop fully, just as an ideal society 
should operate at its best. This development  

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involves moving from pursuing material wealth 
to caring for others and ultimately reaching a  

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state of wisdom and love where we see the world 
in a profoundly different and more loving way.

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4. Establish the power of your intellect
According to Plato “In truth, this Cosmos  

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in its origin was generated as a compound, 
from the combination of Necessity and Reason.” 

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Our lives are filled with things that happen 
naturally, and many times, these things are beyond  

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our control or even understanding. Sometimes, 
these uncontrollable events can cause physical  

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suffering, like illnesses, or emotional suffering 
when something hurts our inner peace. Now,  

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even if we can organize our thoughts and find 
a logical meaning in our lives, what do we do  

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with these irrational, uncontrollable things 
that can unexpectedly disrupt our plans? How do  

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we handle having a strong desire for something 
meaningful, when an unexpected disaster comes  

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along?  Plato wrote something interesting in 
a complex dialogue called "Timaeus," which  

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talks about how the universe was created. 
While some of the ideas about gods in this  

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text might seem a bit old-fashioned, there's an 
interesting part where it says that the universe  

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was created by a combination of "Necessity" 
and "Reason." Reason persuaded Necessity to  

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create the universe in the best way possible.
We can apply this idea to our own lives. Just  

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like in the cosmos, our lives are also a mix of 
Necessity, the things we can't control and Reason,  

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which is our ability to think and make decisions. 
But how does this apply to our personal lives?  

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How can we use this concept? Imagine you're in 
a job that you don't enjoy, but you feel trapped  

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because it pays the bills, and you have family 
responsibilities. This situation represents the  

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"Necessity" part of your life – the things you 
can't control, like financial obligations and  

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family needs. Applying reason in this context, 
means considering your career choices and  

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personal happiness against your obligations 
and responsibilities. To begin this journey,  

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start by identifying the aspects of your career 
and life that you can control. These might  

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include your skills, education, networking, 
and the effort you put into exploring new  

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opportunities. Then define clear and achievable 
career goals that align with your interests  

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and values. For example, if you've always been 
passionate about a different field, set a goal  

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to acquire the necessary skills or education. But 
critically, understand that change takes time.  

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Transitioning to a more fulfilling career requires 
patience and strategic planning. Acknowledge that  

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meaningful change cannot be instantaneous. If 
possible, plan a gradual transition to minimize  

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the impact on your financial stability. Perhaps 
you can dedicate evenings or weekends to acquiring  

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new skills. And Be prepared for setbacks along the 
way. Rejections and challenges are part of life's  

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"Necessity" aspect, but your "Reason" will be 
your guiding force, motivating you to persevere. 

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Importantly: Do not go through this transformation 
alone. Seek support from people who’ve trodden a  

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similar path or turned to mentors for guidance. 
Their experiences can offer both practical advice  

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and emotional encouragement. Throughout this 
process, keep your long-term purpose and meaning  

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in life at the forefront. This could be your 
passion for a specific career or your desire  

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for a more fulfilling job. Allow this ultimate 
purpose to steer your decisions and actions. By  

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applying these steps, you are using your Reason 
to navigate the mix of Necessity and Reason in  

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your career choices. Over time, you can transition 
towards a more meaningful and satisfying career,  

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balancing the uncontrollable elements 
with your rational decision-making.  

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This approach helps you make the best of what 
life presents, even when faced with challenges.

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5. Cultivate your contemplation skills
In our final quote from Plato for this video,  

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he says “We must be free from the 
body and must behold the actual  

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realities with the eye of the soul alone”.
In conclusion, we can sum-up everything we've  

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learned so far into one universal rule 
- cultivate your contemplation skills.  

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We should work on improving our ability 
to think deeply and reflect on things,  

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which is called "contemplation." By doing this, 
we can gain a special way of looking at the world,  

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where we see how our inner thoughts and the world 
around us are connected and make sense together. 

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This skill of contemplation is a stage of personal 
growth and searching for the meaning of life.  

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When we get really good at it, the meaning of life 
becomes very clear to us, and it feels like a part  

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of our everyday reality, because you’re getting 
better at seeing and understanding the world.  

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When we reach this level of clear understanding, 
we aren't bothered by the constant changes and  

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challenges of the world. Instead, we feel like 
we are living a meaningful life. Everything we do  

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is connected to our journey towards discovering 
the ultimate truth about life and the universe.  

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Plato believed that to truly understand 
things we need to free our minds from the  

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distractions and desires of our physical bodies. 
He thought that our bodies and their desires are  

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often the cause of conflicts and wars because 
we fight over things like money and resources,  

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which are connected to our physical needs. 
Plato believed that to see the truth,  

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we need to focus on the thoughts and ideas of 
our minds, like the "eye of the soul.” Plato's  

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approach to freeing our minds from physical 
distractions involves several key steps. 

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Start with self-reflection to identify your 
desires and conflicts. Think about your own  

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desires, attachments, and distractions. 
What are the things in your life that you  

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constantly crave or that cause conflicts? 
It could be material possessions, status,  

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or other external factors. Recognizing 
these desires is the first step. 

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Then practice mindfulness. Mindfulness 
meditation can help you become more aware  

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of your thoughts and emotions. By observing 
your thoughts without judgment, you can gain  

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insight into the desires and distractions that 
affect your daily life. Mindfulness can help  

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you detach from these immediate desires and 
become more in tune with your inner self. 

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Engage in critical thinking and philosophical 
inquiry, question your beliefs and assumptions  

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about what brings happiness and fulfillment. 
Refine your understanding and distance yourself  

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from shallow desires. Reduce materialism by 
finding a balance between material possessions  

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and intellectual growth. Prioritize education in 
philosophy and ethics. Seek virtues like wisdom  

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and courage to guide your actions, and engage in 
meaningful discussions with others to refine your  

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understanding and overcome everyday distractions.
Plato also mentioned that music can help us  

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with this contemplation and understanding. He 
thought that music, with its harmony and rhythm,  

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can create a sense of love and unity among 
people. So, listening to music attentively  

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can be more than just enjoyable; it can also be 
a profound way to connect with our inner selves  

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and find beauty and meaning in the world 
around us. In summary, Plato encourages  

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us to develop our ability to think deeply and 
contemplate life. And contemplation can lead  

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us to a deeper understanding of the world and our 
place in it and find beauty and meaning in life.

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If you enjoyed this video, please make sure 
to check out our full philosophies for life  

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playlist and for more videos to help you 
find success and happiness using beautiful  

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philosophical wisdom, and don’t forget to 
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