--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think it's because we're looking for…" description: "\"I think it's because we're looking for the meaning. Where is the meaning? We have mindless jobs, we take frantic vacations, deficit finance trips to th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48d/matthew-mcconaughey-1902_deficit_i-think-it-s-because-we-re-looking-for-t_3161015.jpg" --- # I think it's because we're looking for the meaning. Where… ![“I think it's because we're looking for the meaning. Where is the meaning? We have mindless jobs, we take frantic vacations, deficit finance trips to the mall to buy more things that we think are going to fill these holes in our lives. Is it any wonder that we've lost our sense of direction?” quote by Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48d/matthew-mcconaughey-1902_deficit_i-think-it-s-because-we-re-looking-for-t_3161015.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48d/matthew-mcconaughey-1902_deficit_i-think-it-s-because-we-re-looking-for-t_3161015.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/48d/matthew-mcconaughey-1902_deficit_i-think-it-s-because-we-re-looking-for-t_3161015.jpg) > “I think it's because we're looking for the meaning. Where is the meaning? We have mindless jobs, we take frantic vacations, deficit finance trips to the mall to buy more things that we think are going to fill these holes in our lives. Is it any wonder that we've lost our sense of direction?” [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People chase material distractions to fill an inner void, losing purpose and direction. **In simple terms:** We fill emptiness with things, not meaning. Key Takeaway Seek purpose beyond consumption. Themes meaning consumerism purpose Mood contemplative somber Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career choices - personal growth - spending habits - vacation planning Key Concepts existential search mindfulness well‑being Questions to Reflect On - What truly gives your life meaning? - How can you replace frantic pursuits with purposeful actions? A Different Perspective Material fixes rarely address deeper dissatisfaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Finance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finance/) [Frantic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frantic/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Malls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/malls/) [Meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning/) [Meaningful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaningful/) [Mindless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mindless/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Vacation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vacation/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) ## Related quotes > [Advice for a human. 81. You can't find happiness looking for the meaning of life. Meaning is only the third most important thing. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-haig/advice-for-a-human-81-you-can-t-find-happiness-looking-for-the/) [Matt Haig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-haig/) > [I was looking for what the meaning of life was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-gawain/i-was-looking-for-what-the-meaning-of-life-was/) [Shakti Gawain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-gawain/) > [You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/you-will-never-live-if-you-are-looking-for-the-meaning-of-life/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Yes, it was her he was looking at, and there was meaning in his look. His eyes burned into her as though they would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/yes-it-was-her-he-was-looking-at-and-there-was-meaning-in-his-look/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [As soon as you look at the world through an ideology you are finished. No reality fits an ideology. Life is beyond that. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/as-soon-as-you-look-at-the-world-through-an-ideology-you-are-finished/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [“We all search for our meaning, and if we do not find meaning in who we are or what we do, we often search…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-ford/we-all-search-for-our-meaning-and-if-we-do-not-find-meaning-in-who-we/) [Jim Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-ford/) > [“There's no meaning. What's the meaning of the universe? What's the meaning of a flea? It's just there. We're so engaged in doing things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/there-s-no-meaning-what-s-the-meaning-of-the-universe-what-s-the/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [Does a being who requires meaning find meaning in a universe that has no meaning?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/does-a-being-who-requires-meaning-find-meaning-in-a-universe-that-has/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [A man must fill his life with meaning, meaning is not automatically given to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/a-man-must-fill-his-life-with-meaning-meaning-is-not-automatically/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [“The meaning of life is not a search—it is a choice. Meaning is not found in things; meaning is what you make of things.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-holden/the-meaning-of-life-is-not-a-search-it-is-a-choice-meaning-is-not/) [Robert Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-holden/) > [Life is without meaning. You bring the meaning to it. The meaning of life is whatever you ascribe it to be. Being alive is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/life-is-without-meaning-you-bring-the-meaning-to-it-the-meaning-of/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [Life in itself has no meaning. Life is an opportunity to create meaning. Meaning has not to be discovered; it has to be created.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/life-in-itself-has-no-meaning-life-is-an-opportunity-to-create/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [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/) > [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/) ## More by Matthew McConaughey > [I don't see myself being married more than once, but who does?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/i-don-t-see-myself-being-married-more-than-once-but-who-does/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [The law says you cannot touch, but I see a lot of lawbreakers up in this house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/the-law-says-you-cannot-touch-but-i-see-a-lot-of-lawbreakers-up-in/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [If you can be mentally stimulated by the workout and find out how to get through it, it's more fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/if-you-can-be-mentally-stimulated-by-the-workout-and-find-out-how-to/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [Africa is probably one of the most beautiful places I have ever been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/africa-is-probably-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-i-have-ever-been/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [I talk to myself all the time. Just make sure you answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/i-talk-to-myself-all-the-time-just-make-sure-you-answer/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [The male is always the pawn in a romantic comedy. Come together, break up, go chase her, get her, roll credits. That's what happens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/the-male-is-always-the-pawn-in-a-romantic-comedy-come-together-break/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [If you eat at the end of the day, you sleep on it and don't burn it off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/if-you-eat-at-the-end-of-the-day-you-sleep-on-it-and-don-t-burn-it-off/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [I keep a diary - one for each film and foreign land I travel to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/i-keep-a-diary-one-for-each-film-and-foreign-land-i-travel-to/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [Ye cannot serve God and mammon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/ye-cannot-serve-god-and-mammon/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [Yes, it is the Big Easy, home of the shortest hangover on the planet, where libation can greet you on Monday morning with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/yes-it-is-the-big-easy-home-of-the-shortest-hangover-on-the-planet/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [I hated repeating myself. The last films I've done - not once did I ever have the feeling that I was dialing it in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/i-hated-repeating-myself-the-last-films-i-ve-done-not-once-did-i-ever/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/is-it-not-lawful-for-me-to-do-what-i-will-with-mine-own/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [I've come to find that I do think it is actually healthy for our relationship that I don't speak that much Portuguese because she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/i-ve-come-to-find-that-i-do-think-it-is-actually-healthy-for-our/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [The older you get, the more rules they’re gonna try to get you to follow. You just gotta keep livin’ man, l-i-v-i-n’](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/the-older-you-get-the-more-rules-they-re-gonna-try-to-get-you-to/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [Every hero doesn't do this great big hero thing. They do the simple thing over and over... and they stick to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/every-hero-doesn-t-do-this-great-big-hero-thing-they-do-the-simple/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) [Explore all 200 Matthew McConaughey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) ## More Deficit quotes > [At times of recession, running a budget deficit is highly desirable. Once the economy begins to recover, you have to balance the budget. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/at-times-of-recession-running-a-budget-deficit-is-highly-desirable/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [There is a nationwide shortage of drugs for Attention Deficit Disorder. The FDA says they're not sure how it happened. I guess somebody wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/there-is-a-nationwide-shortage-of-drugs-for-attention-deficit/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [The more competitive value of the dollar turned around the trade deficit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-feldstein/the-more-competitive-value-of-the-dollar-turned-around-the-trade/) [Martin Feldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-feldstein/) > [Inflation is not caused by the actions of private citizens, but by the government: by an artificial expansion of the money supply required to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/inflation-is-not-caused-by-the-actions-of-private-citizens-but-by-the/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [When you're talking about long-term deficit reduction, $4 trillion worth, entitlement reform needs to be part of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-durbin/when-you-re-talking-about-long-term-deficit-reduction-4-trillion/) [Dick Durbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-durbin/) > [I cannot conceive of a politically feasible solution to this problem which will overdo cutting the deficit, where overdoing means harming the economy. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/i-cannot-conceive-of-a-politically-feasible-solution-to-this-problem/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [The deficit crisis is real and must be addressed. But it cannot be solved on the backs of the weak and vulnerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-deficit-crisis-is-real-and-must-be-addressed-but-it-cannot-be/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [You know, dramas are much more expensive to do than say a comedy, so any kind of deficit like that is picked up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-guilfoyle/you-know-dramas-are-much-more-expensive-to-do-than-say-a-comedy-so/) [Paul Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-guilfoyle/) > [The major cause for American Negroes intellectual and social deficits is hereditary and racially genetic in origin and thus not remedial to a major…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shockley/the-major-cause-for-american-negroes-intellectual-and-social-deficits/) [William Shockley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shockley/) > [Back in those days, in the fifties and sixties, countries had balance of payment's deficits or surpluses, those were reflected much more than today…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-c-solomon/back-in-those-days-in-the-fifties-and-sixties-countries-had-balance/) [Robert C. 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Preferably it will have increased its earnings for the past five years and there will have been no deficits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-cundill/the-company-must-be-profitable-preferably-it-will-have-increased-its/) [Peter Cundill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-cundill/) > [No industry or country can reach its full potential until women reach their full potential. This is especially true of science and technology, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/no-industry-or-country-can-reach-its-full-potential-until-women-reach/) [Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/) Browse all 585 Deficit quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think it's because we're looking for the meaning. Where is the meaning? We have mindless jobs, we take frantic vacations, deficit finance trips to the mall to buy more things that we think are going to fill these holes in our lives. 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