--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wanted to do something that gave my…" description: "\"I wanted to do something that gave my life meaning and purpose.\" — Ed McCaffrey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f71/ed-mccaffrey-31637_life_i-wanted-to-do-something-that-gave-my-li_2917447.jpg" --- # I wanted to do something that gave my life meaning and… ![“I wanted to do something that gave my life meaning and purpose.” quote by Ed McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f71/ed-mccaffrey-31637_life_i-wanted-to-do-something-that-gave-my-li_2917447.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f71/ed-mccaffrey-31637_life_i-wanted-to-do-something-that-gave-my-li_2917447.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f71/ed-mccaffrey-31637_life_i-wanted-to-do-something-that-gave-my-li_2917447.jpg) > “I wanted to do something that gave my life meaning and purpose.” [Ed McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mccaffrey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeking purpose gives life meaning. **In simple terms:** Purpose gives life meaning. Key Takeaway Pursue meaningful goals. Themes purpose meaning life fulfillment Mood reflective hopeful Type advice personal When to use this quote - career change - volunteering - personal mission - legacy building Key Concepts goal‑setting service Questions to Reflect On - What gives your life purpose? - How can you align actions with purpose? A Different Perspective Finding purpose can be elusive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 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/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) ## Related quotes > [“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/) > [“God did not give me everything that i wanted. But, He gave me everything that i needed!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/god-did-not-give-me-everything-that-i-wanted-but-he-gave-me/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“God gave me nothing i wanted, he gave me everything i needed”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-gave-me-nothing-i-wanted-he-gave-me-everything-i-needed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If life has any meaning or purpose, you won't find it in happiness, but in something more rational, in something greater.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/if-life-has-any-meaning-or-purpose-you-won-t-find-it-in-happiness-but/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [MY LIFE HAS A MEANING & A PURPOSE!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tisha-woods/my-life-has-a-meaning-a-purpose/) Tisha Woods > [The meaning of life, Nikodemos, is to live life with meaning. The purpose of life is merely to live it, perhaps to give it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-morris/the-meaning-of-life-nikodemos-is-to-live-life-with-meaning-the/) [Janet Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-morris/) > [Love is when you feel like your life has no meaning or purpose without her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/love-is-when-you-feel-like-your-life-has-no-meaning-or-purpose/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [Life is so full of meaning and of purpose, so full of beauty - beneath its covering - that you will find that earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-giocondo/life-is-so-full-of-meaning-and-of-purpose-so-full-of-beauty-beneath/) [Giovanni Giocondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-giocondo/) > [“My father's right to shape my life had been taken from him by the same being who gave his own life meaning - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/my-father-s-right-to-shape-my-life-had-been-taken-from-him-by-the/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [“Whatever I was, I owed to my family and to all those who struggled with me. But my biggest debt I owed to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/whatever-i-was-i-owed-to-my-family-and-to-all-those-who-struggled/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“Most of all, he needed a challenge—because that was what gave life meaning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/most-of-all-he-needed-a-challenge-because-that-was-what-gave-life/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [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/) ## More by Ed McCaffrey > [Yeah, I don't think I'm taking my shirt off to play flag football in the park with the kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mccaffrey/yeah-i-don-t-think-i-m-taking-my-shirt-off-to-play-flag-football-in/) [Ed McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mccaffrey/) > [Well, I love being a head coach. And when my kids were younger, it just didn't feel right at the time. I was happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mccaffrey/well-i-love-being-a-head-coach-and-when-my-kids-were-younger-it-just/) [Ed McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mccaffrey/) > [Speed is something I always worked on really hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mccaffrey/speed-is-something-i-always-worked-on-really-hard/) [Ed McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mccaffrey/) > [I was pretty dorky in high school. I was pretty much of a recluse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mccaffrey/i-was-pretty-dorky-in-high-school-i-was-pretty-much-of-a-recluse/) [Ed McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mccaffrey/) > [As an NFL analyst, my job was to watch countless hours of game film and critique NFL coaches and that's what I've been doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mccaffrey/as-an-nfl-analyst-my-job-was-to-watch-countless-hours-of-game-film/) [Ed McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mccaffrey/) > [I'm by no means an expert at coaching high school football. I'm doing the best I can in Year 1. But I've already learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mccaffrey/i-m-by-no-means-an-expert-at-coaching-high-school-football-i-m-doing/) [Ed McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mccaffrey/) > [When I do something, I consult my family, so that when you get me, you get my whole family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mccaffrey/when-i-do-something-i-consult-my-family-so-that-when-you-get-me-you/) [Ed McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mccaffrey/) > [Look, I follow my heart. That's the only thing I know how to do. I look at the work, I look for opportunities, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mccaffrey/look-i-follow-my-heart-that-s-the-only-thing-i-know-how-to-do-i-look/) [Ed McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mccaffrey/) > [Fathers, for the first time, we have no clue what we're doing. I had no idea when I became a father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mccaffrey/fathers-for-the-first-time-we-have-no-clue-what-we-re-doing-i-had-no/) [Ed McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mccaffrey/) > [I'm trying to just take things as they come, not to try to expect too much, just do my job and hope things work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mccaffrey/i-m-trying-to-just-take-things-as-they-come-not-to-try-to-expect-too/) [Ed McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mccaffrey/) > [I think sports is good for goal setting, and I think it teaches you some important values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mccaffrey/i-think-sports-is-good-for-goal-setting-and-i-think-it-teaches-you/) [Ed McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mccaffrey/) > [I'm so happy to be here and I want to bring championship football back to the University of Northern Colorado.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mccaffrey/i-m-so-happy-to-be-here-and-i-want-to-bring-championship-football/) [Ed McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mccaffrey/) > [And I love doing my radio show and I love some of the other interests that I have. But I really feel like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mccaffrey/and-i-love-doing-my-radio-show-and-i-love-some-of-the-other-interests/) [Ed McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mccaffrey/) > [What Lisa and I want is for our kids to grow up to be good people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mccaffrey/what-lisa-and-i-want-is-for-our-kids-to-grow-up-to-be-good-people/) [Ed McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mccaffrey/) > [I've lived in Colorado longer than anywhere else in my life. All four of our boys were born and raised here. All of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mccaffrey/i-ve-lived-in-colorado-longer-than-anywhere-else-in-my-life-all-four/) [Ed McCaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mccaffrey/) [Explore all 16 Ed McCaffrey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mccaffrey/) ## More Life quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“There's more to life than you can see. Your sight is limited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-kling/there-s-more-to-life-than-you-can-see-your-sight-is-limited/) [Tammy Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-kling/) > [“I've spent much of my life calling my intuition "something wrong with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-l-lawlis/i-ve-spent-much-of-my-life-calling-my-intuition-something-wrong-with/) Deanna L. Lawlis > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-just-remember-life-without-me-would-be-even-more-unbearable/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) [Browse all 265,290 Life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I wanted to do something that gave my life meaning and purpose.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ed McCaffrey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mccaffrey/i-wanted-to-do-something-that-gave-my-life-meaning-and-purpose/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Life" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mccaffrey/i-wanted-to-do-something-that-gave-my-life-meaning-and-purpose/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f71/ed-mccaffrey-31637_life_i-wanted-to-do-something-that-gave-my-li_2917447.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f71/ed-mccaffrey-31637_life_i-wanted-to-do-something-that-gave-my-li_2917447.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f71/ed-mccaffrey-31637_life_i-wanted-to-do-something-that-gave-my-li_2917447.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I wanted to do something that gave my life meaning and purpose.” — Ed McCaffrey", "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": "Ed McCaffrey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-mccaffrey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I wanted to do something that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mccaffrey/i-wanted-to-do-something-that-gave-my-life-meaning-and-purpose/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-mccaffrey/i-wanted-to-do-something-that-gave-my-life-meaning-and-purpose/#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 } } ] } ```