--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The purpose of life is the lesson." description: "\"“The purpose of life is the lesson.”\" — Shannon L. Alder" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f33/shannon-l-alder-363_becoming-better_the-purpose-of-life-is-the-lesson-986475_986475.jpg" --- # The purpose of life is the lesson. ![“The purpose of life is the lesson.” quote by Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f33/shannon-l-alder-363_becoming-better_the-purpose-of-life-is-the-lesson-986475_986475.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f33/shannon-l-alder-363_becoming-better_the-purpose-of-life-is-the-lesson-986475_986475.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f33/shannon-l-alder-363_becoming-better_the-purpose-of-life-is-the-lesson-986475_986475.jpg) > ““The purpose of life is the lesson.”” [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is presented as a series of lessons to learn and grow from. **In simple terms:** Life teaches lessons. Key Takeaway Embrace each experience as a lesson. Themes growth purpose learning Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal challenges - education - career - relationships Key Concepts existential self‑development Questions to Reflect On - What lesson is your current life teaching you? - How can you apply past lessons to future decisions? A Different Perspective Lesson may be ambiguous or painful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Becoming better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/becoming-better/) [Big-dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-dreams-2/) [Enlightenment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightenment/) [God 's plan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-s-plan-2/) [God-s-dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-s-dreams-73561/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Lesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lesson/) [Lessons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lessons/) [Lessons learned in life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lessons-learned-in-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life lesson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-lesson/) [Nirvana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nirvana/) [Overcoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcoming/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Purpose Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose-life/) [Purpose of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose-of-life/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Spiritual growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-growth/) [Stay positive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stay-positive/) [Staying positive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/staying-positive/) [Stayingpositiveu-com](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stayingpositiveu-com/) ## Related quotes > [“You don't have to apologize for loving someone or wanting a life that no longer fits your blueprint. The beginning phase of reclaiming your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/you-don-t-have-to-apologize-for-loving-someone-or-wanting-a-life-that/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“Your dream is to feel good; God’s dream is for you to do good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/your-dream-is-to-feel-good-god-s-dream-is-for-you-to-do-good/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“God doesn't call us to mediocrity. He calls us to a greater standard that doesn't teach us to tear people down to reach him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-doesn-t-call-us-to-mediocrity-he-calls-us-to-a-greater-standard/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“God never uses one approach to the get his job done in the world. Each soul has its own way of being reached. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-never-uses-one-approach-to-the-get-his-job-done-in-the-world-each/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“Tough love and brutal truth from strangers are far more valuable than Band-Aids and half-truths from invested friends, who don’t want to see you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/tough-love-and-brutal-truth-from-strangers-are-far-more-valuable-than/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“Your love life is insignificant when it comes to raising your children to be respectable human beings. The moment you see them suffer or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/your-love-life-is-insignificant-when-it-comes-to-raising-your/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“It is not until you change your identity to match your life blueprint that you will understand why everything in the past never worked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/it-is-not-until-you-change-your-identity-to-match-your-life-blueprint/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“We are all a little schizophrenic. Each of us has three different people living inside us every day—who you were, who you are and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/we-are-all-a-little-schizophrenic-each-of-us-has-three-different/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“The only real conflict you will ever have in your life won’t be with others, but with yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/the-only-real-conflict-you-will-ever-have-in-your-life-won-t-be-with/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“True confidence is not about what you take from someone to restore yourself, but what you give back to your critics because they need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/true-confidence-is-not-about-what-you-take-from-someone-to-restore/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“I think timing is better left up to God to decide then religious leaders. I once met a man that brought his wife flowers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/i-think-timing-is-better-left-up-to-god-to-decide-then-religious/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“You don’t need to wait for God to show up, in order to be rescued from your bad situation. God has been trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/you-don-t-need-to-wait-for-god-to-show-up-in-order-to-be-rescued-from/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“So many people think that they are not gifted because they don’t have an obvious talent that people can recognize because it doesn’t fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/so-many-people-think-that-they-are-not-gifted-because-they-don-t-have/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“You can find anyone that will tell you what you want to hear, but the only one worth valuing is the one that tells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/you-can-find-anyone-that-will-tell-you-what-you-want-to-hear-but-the/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“When you let go of control and commit yourself to happiness, it is so easy to offer compassion and forgiveness. This propels you from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/when-you-let-go-of-control-and-commit-yourself-to-happiness-it-is-so/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) ## More by Shannon L. Alder > [“Don’t waste your time trying to explain yourself to people that are committed to misunderstanding you. Instead, commit your time to explaining who they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/don-t-waste-your-time-trying-to-explain-yourself-to-people-that-are/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“God has a way of picking a “nobody” and turning their world upside down, in order to create a “somebody” that will remove the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-has-a-way-of-picking-a-nobody-and-turning-their-world-upside-down/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“It takes a female to have a baby, It takes a woman to raise a child, It takes a mother to raise them correctly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/it-takes-a-female-to-have-a-baby-it-takes-a-woman-to-raise-a-child-it/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“God is going to send you someone that will rescue you. Then one day you will rescue them in return and together your story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-is-going-to-send-you-someone-that-will-rescue-you-then-one-day/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“You can be bit in the leg by a rattlesnake and seek help to heal your wound, or you can run after it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/you-can-be-bit-in-the-leg-by-a-rattlesnake-and-seek-help-to-heal-your/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“It is not the self respect and pride that you take with you, but the heritage you leave behind to your children that matters.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/it-is-not-the-self-respect-and-pride-that-you-take-with-you-but-the/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“The art of being wise is the art of knowing that solutions don’t come from individuals, but rather experiences.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/the-art-of-being-wise-is-the-art-of-knowing-that-solutions-don-t-come/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“If you have feelings for someone, let them know. It doesn’t matter if they can be in your life or not. Maybe, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/if-you-have-feelings-for-someone-let-them-know-it-doesn-t-matter-if/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“After every storm, there is a rainbow. If you have eyes, you will find it. If you have wisdom, you will create it. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/after-every-storm-there-is-a-rainbow-if-you-have-eyes-you-will-find/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“Don’t ever feel bad that someone couldn’t give you all of their heart. Be grateful that you can take the least complicated part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/don-t-ever-feel-bad-that-someone-couldn-t-give-you-all-of-their-heart/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“I don't know why anyone would be scared of a homeless person. The truly scary people are all the murder mystery writers. They spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/i-don-t-know-why-anyone-would-be-scared-of-a-homeless-person-the/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“Until you have stood in another woman’s stilettos, you will never begin to know the year of pain she felt breaking them in.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/until-you-have-stood-in-another-woman-s-stilettos-you-will-never/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“I don't understand women that call themselves a "bitch". It doesn't empower a woman. Rather, it reveals to everyone that you were deeply hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/i-don-t-understand-women-that-call-themselves-a-bitch-it-doesn-t/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“ The Prodigal Son They gave the deep end of their heart--a hue of crimson red, They whispered their desire and offered up their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/the-prodigal-son-they-gave-the-deep-end-of-their-heart-a-hue-of/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) [Explore all 639 Shannon L. Alder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) ## More Becoming better quotes > [How do you become better tomorrow? By improving yourself, the world is made better. Be not afraid of growing too slowly. Be afraid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/how-do-you-become-better-tomorrow-by-improving-yourself-the-world-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Looking down from my throne full of thorns, I glanced at the people on Earth. Oh, man. I despised them. It wasn’t like they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-jace/looking-down-from-my-throne-full-of-thorns-i-glanced-at-the-people-on/) [Cameron Jace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-jace/) > [“People often romanticize children or adults with special needs, as if they are innocent-yet-wise creatures who can humble us all into becoming better humans.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-schumer/people-often-romanticize-children-or-adults-with-special-needs-as-if/) [Amy Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-schumer/) > [“I want to learn how to speak to anyone at any time and make us both feel a little bit better, lighter, richer, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-eriksson/i-want-to-learn-how-to-speak-to-anyone-at-any-time-and-make-us-both/) [Charlotte Eriksson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-eriksson/) > [“This saying also implies that if you realize that you are incompetent but do not wish to remain so, you should perhaps go out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dmitry-orlov/this-saying-also-implies-that-if-you-realize-that-you-are-incompetent/) [Dmitry Orlov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dmitry-orlov/) > [... while we spend more on beauty treatments and clothes and cosmetics, we are reluctant to spend much on training ourselves, on opening our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prakah-iyer/while-we-spend-more-on-beauty-treatments-and-clothes-and-cosmetics-we/) [Prakah Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prakah-iyer/) > [“The most extraordinary thing about the oyster is this. Irritation gets into his shell. He does not like them. But when he cannot get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-emerson-fosdick/the-most-extraordinary-thing-about-the-oyster-is-this-irritation-gets/) [Harry Emerson Fosdick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-emerson-fosdick/) > [Be what you are. This is the first step toward becoming better than you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-charles-hare/be-what-you-are-this-is-the-first-step-toward-becoming-better-than/) [Julius Charles Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-charles-hare/) > [What we're increasingly seeing is comics are becoming better known across the world. They're recording shows wherever they are, then putting them online for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romesh-ranganathan/what-we-re-increasingly-seeing-is-comics-are-becoming-better-known/) [Romesh Ranganathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romesh-ranganathan/) > [“Wisdom evolves, but one core principle in it does not. It is the principle of becoming better, by demolishing the shortcomings of today and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/wisdom-evolves-but-one-core-principle-in-it-does-not-it-is-the/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Grief, my friend, forces us to search our souls and find answers to issues that constrain us from becoming better human beings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janvier-chouteu-chando/grief-my-friend-forces-us-to-search-our-souls-and-find-answers-to/) [Janvier Chouteu-Chando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janvier-chouteu-chando/) > [“If you compete with others, you may not win. If you compete with yourself, you always win by becoming better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/if-you-compete-with-others-you-may-not-win-if-you-compete-with/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [“Sometimes we need to think from a different perspective in order to reach the next level of our lives. In other words, an opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torron-lee-dewar/sometimes-we-need-to-think-from-a-different-perspective-in-order-to/) [Torron-Lee Dewar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torron-lee-dewar/) > [Don't overact. No one can climb out beyond the limitations of his own character. Just be who you are. This is the first step…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-overact-no-one-can-climb-out-beyond-the-limitations-of-his-own/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm always excited when it comes to coaching football, mentoring guys and them becoming better people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-flores/i-m-always-excited-when-it-comes-to-coaching-football-mentoring-guys/) [Brian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-flores/) [Browse all 74 Becoming better quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/becoming-better/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The purpose of life is the lesson.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shannon L. Alder" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/the-purpose-of-life-is-the-lesson/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Becoming better" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/the-purpose-of-life-is-the-lesson/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f33/shannon-l-alder-363_becoming-better_the-purpose-of-life-is-the-lesson-986475_986475.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f33/shannon-l-alder-363_becoming-better_the-purpose-of-life-is-the-lesson-986475_986475.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f33/shannon-l-alder-363_becoming-better_the-purpose-of-life-is-the-lesson-986475_986475.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The purpose of life is the lesson.” — Shannon L. Alder", "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": "Shannon L. Alder", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The purpose of life is the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/the-purpose-of-life-is-the-lesson/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/the-purpose-of-life-is-the-lesson/#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 } } ] } ```