--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most people are looking for something to…" description: "\"Most people are looking for something to give their life meaning.\" — Annette Bening" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/annette-bening-3058_give_most-people-are-looking-for-something-to_885743.jpg" --- # Most people are looking for something to give their life… ![“Most people are looking for something to give their life meaning.” quote by Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/annette-bening-3058_give_most-people-are-looking-for-something-to_885743.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/annette-bening-3058_give_most-people-are-looking-for-something-to_885743.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/annette-bening-3058_give_most-people-are-looking-for-something-to_885743.jpg) > “Most people are looking for something to give their life meaning.” [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People search for external sources of meaning, but true purpose often arises from internal values and actions **In simple terms:** We look outward for meaning, yet it’s found within Key Takeaway Seek meaning through personal values, not external validation Themes meaning purpose self‑discovery Mood thoughtful inspirational Type interview philosophical When to use this quote - career choice - volunteering - spiritual practice - creative projects Key Concepts existential search psychology cultural expectations Questions to Reflect On - What internal values guide your life? - How can you cultivate purpose without external approval? A Different Perspective External validation can distract from authentic fulfillment ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-meaning/) [Meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [You are free to give life meaning, whatever meaning you want to give it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fulghum/you-are-free-to-give-life-meaning-whatever-meaning-you-want-to-give-it/) [Robert Fulghum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fulghum/) > [“God isn't looking for perfect people. He is looking to perfect people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hileman/god-isn-t-looking-for-perfect-people-he-is-looking-to-perfect-people/) John Hileman > [When I walk on the street, I see people looking like me and not stick thin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zareen-khan/when-i-walk-on-the-street-i-see-people-looking-like-me-and-not-stick/) [Zareen Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zareen-khan/) > [Some people looking for a beautiful place others make a place beautiful...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maud-berben/some-people-looking-for-a-beautiful-place-others-make-a-place/) Maud Berben > [At the end of the Depression, people were perhaps looking for something to cheer themselves up. They fell in love with a dog and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-temple/at-the-end-of-the-depression-people-were-perhaps-looking-for/) [Shirley Temple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-temple/) > [“We shouldn’t ask if life has a meaning, we should ask to whom life has what kinds of meanings”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-sever/we-shouldn-t-ask-if-life-has-a-meaning-we-should-ask-to-whom-life-has/) S.E. SEVER > [What do you want a meaning for? Life is a desire, not a meaning. Desire is the theme of life. The meaning of anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-chaplin/what-do-you-want-a-meaning-for-life-is-a-desire-not-a-meaning-desire/) [Charlie Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-chaplin/) > [Life has no meaning unless one lives it with a will, at least to the limit of one's will. Virtue, good, evil are nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gauguin/life-has-no-meaning-unless-one-lives-it-with-a-will-at-least-to-the/) [Paul Gauguin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gauguin/) > [Instead of the traditional emphasis on the sanctity of life, bioethics began to stress the quality of life, meaning that many damaged humans, young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leo/instead-of-the-traditional-emphasis-on-the-sanctity-of-life-bioethics/) [John Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leo/) > [“The true meaning and purpose of life is to give some meaning and purpose to your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/the-true-meaning-and-purpose-of-life-is-to-give-some-meaning-and/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [Life has no meaning. Each of us has meaning and we bring it to life. We are the only answer of meaning of life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikas-runwal/life-has-no-meaning-each-of-us-has-meaning-and-we-bring-it-to-life-we/) [Vikas Runwal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikas-runwal/) > [ “\[T\]here is nothing to say about life. It has no meaning. You make meaning. If you want a meaning in your life, find a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/t-here-is-nothing-to-say-about-life-it-has-no-meaning-you-make/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [Life has meaning for anyone who takes an interest in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-hook/life-has-meaning-for-anyone-who-takes-an-interest-in-it/) [Sidney Hook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-hook/) > [“Life has the meaning we give it, no more, no less.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/life-has-the-meaning-we-give-it-no-more-no-less/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [The meaning of life is to give life a meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-mass/the-meaning-of-life-is-to-give-life-a-meaning/) [wendy mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-mass/) ## More by Annette Bening > [I never thought my private life would be newsworthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-never-thought-my-private-life-would-be-newsworthy/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [I do have to take care of myself, not only because I'm in the movies, just for mental health reasons. I exercise for me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-do-have-to-take-care-of-myself-not-only-because-i-m-in-the-movies/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [We all get lost along the way, but hopefully we figure out some sort of path. It helps if you can imagine the process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/we-all-get-lost-along-the-way-but-hopefully-we-figure-out-some-sort/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [One of the things on a very practical level as an actor or actress is that when you do a play, you do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/one-of-the-things-on-a-very-practical-level-as-an-actor-or-actress-is/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [We want to be seen for who we really are, and each person has his own complex story and reasons for doing what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/we-want-to-be-seen-for-who-we-really-are-and-each-person-has-his-own/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [I don't see myself as competing with other actresses. I mean, I went through a time when I was in New York, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-don-t-see-myself-as-competing-with-other-actresses-i-mean-i-went/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [I'm lucky: almost all my family has lived to be very old. I have one grandfather who lived to be 100.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-m-lucky-almost-all-my-family-has-lived-to-be-very-old-i-have-one/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [It's always tricky to watch yourself, always. When I first had to watch myself, it was really hard because I'd done quite a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/it-s-always-tricky-to-watch-yourself-always-when-i-first-had-to-watch/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [To me, I didn't think of acting as being a young thing only.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/to-me-i-didn-t-think-of-acting-as-being-a-young-thing-only/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [I act, but I am a mother first and wife second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-act-but-i-am-a-mother-first-and-wife-second/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [Why I love acting is that it's totally subjective and I like that. I like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/why-i-love-acting-is-that-it-s-totally-subjective-and-i-like-that-i/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [Somebody said something really smart: It's like you end up being the defense attorney for your role. Your job is to defend their point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/somebody-said-something-really-smart-it-s-like-you-end-up-being-the/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [Anybody who has children and children who are well feels a sense of responsibility towards parents and kids and families that are struggling and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/anybody-who-has-children-and-children-who-are-well-feels-a-sense-of/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [I just want to be educated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-just-want-to-be-educated/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) > [I remember hearing someone say that good acting is more about taking off a mask than putting one on, and in movie acting, certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/i-remember-hearing-someone-say-that-good-acting-is-more-about-taking/) [Annette Bening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) [Explore all 141 Annette Bening quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/) ## More Give quotes > [I would give anything to be able to kick a ball with my son or read the kids a bedtime story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-burrow/i-would-give-anything-to-be-able-to-kick-a-ball-with-my-son-or-read/) [Rob Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-burrow/) > [Give me an impromptu 50-person guest list, a fold-out emergency trestle table and a pack of frozen vol-au-vent cases and, darlings, I will give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-dent/give-me-an-impromptu-50-person-guest-list-a-fold-out-emergency/) [Grace Dent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-dent/) > [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. That game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/windmills-and-solar-cells-are-carbon-free-sources-of-electricity-but/) [Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/) > [I listen to my body, I give it things it wants and I eliminate things it doesn't want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britt-ekland/i-listen-to-my-body-i-give-it-things-it-wants-and-i-eliminate-things/) [Britt Ekland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britt-ekland/) > [I can get runs much faster if I stay there in the middle to give bowlers more time and cushion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-l-rahul/i-can-get-runs-much-faster-if-i-stay-there-in-the-middle-to-give/) [K. L. Rahul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-l-rahul/) > [My attitude it that you don't give in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-taylor/my-attitude-it-that-you-don-t-give-in/) [Phil Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-taylor/) > [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/) [Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/) > [In France they spend six months training policemen, then they give them a gun and put them on the streets, and I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mathieu-kassovitz/in-france-they-spend-six-months-training-policemen-then-they-give/) [Mathieu Kassovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mathieu-kassovitz/) > [You've got a lot of Tupac clones, but I don't think I'm one of them. I just think I give people a little piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-gibbs/you-ve-got-a-lot-of-tupac-clones-but-i-don-t-think-i-m-one-of-them-i/) [Freddie Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-gibbs/) > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [What greater insult can you give God than to take your own life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thibodeau/what-greater-insult-can-you-give-god-than-to-take-your-own-life/) [David Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thibodeau/) > [My relationship with Ibrahimovic was completely neutral. He is not the type of player to approach the younger players and give them advice. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-coman/my-relationship-with-ibrahimovic-was-completely-neutral-he-is-not-the/) [Kingsley Coman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-coman/) > [What I do know is I'm going to give absolute 100 percent effort any time I'm on the court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-ariza/what-i-do-know-is-i-m-going-to-give-absolute-100-percent-effort-any/) [Trevor Ariza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-ariza/) > [Don't be a taker, be a giver, because when you give you get back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-ruettiger/don-t-be-a-taker-be-a-giver-because-when-you-give-you-get-back/) [Rudy Ruettiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-ruettiger/) > [I could give you some names of Workshop participants who are as good as many who are being published but haven't had the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gunn/i-could-give-you-some-names-of-workshop-participants-who-are-as-good/) [James Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gunn/) Browse all 5,141 Give quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Most people are looking for something to give their life meaning.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Annette Bening" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/most-people-are-looking-for-something-to-give-their-life-meaning/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Give" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/most-people-are-looking-for-something-to-give-their-life-meaning/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/annette-bening-3058_give_most-people-are-looking-for-something-to_885743.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/annette-bening-3058_give_most-people-are-looking-for-something-to_885743.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c6b/annette-bening-3058_give_most-people-are-looking-for-something-to_885743.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Most people are looking for something to give their life meaning.” — Annette Bening", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Annette Bening", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-bening/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Most people are looking for something...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/most-people-are-looking-for-something-to-give-their-life-meaning/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-bening/most-people-are-looking-for-something-to-give-their-life-meaning/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```