--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We want to believe that our lives have…" description: "\"“We want to believe that our lives have some objective meaning, and that our sacrifices matter to something beyond the stories in our head. Yet in trut..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/022/yuval-noah-harari-100_goals_we-want-to-believe-that-our-lives-have-s_3052274.jpg" --- # We want to believe that our lives have some objective… ![“We want to believe that our lives have some objective meaning, and that our sacrifices matter to something beyond the stories in our head. Yet in truth the lives of most people have meaning only within the network of stories they tell one another.” quote by Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/022/yuval-noah-harari-100_goals_we-want-to-believe-that-our-lives-have-s_3052274.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/022/yuval-noah-harari-100_goals_we-want-to-believe-that-our-lives-have-s_3052274.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/022/yuval-noah-harari-100_goals_we-want-to-believe-that-our-lives-have-s_3052274.jpg) > ““We want to believe that our lives have some objective meaning, and that our sacrifices matter to something beyond the stories in our head. Yet in truth the lives of most people have meaning only within the network of stories they tell one another.”” [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Meaning is constructed through shared narratives; objective purpose is elusive. **In simple terms:** Stories give life meaning. Key Takeaway Create and share purposeful narratives. Themes meaning storytelling human nature Mood reflective introspective Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - family traditions - national myths - brand stories - online communities Key Concepts narrative construction social cohesion existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What narratives shape your life? - How can you craft authentic stories? A Different Perspective Stories can be manipulative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believe Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-lives-2736094/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Lives Objective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lives-objective-3393168/) [Objective Meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/objective-meaning-3393167/) [Sacrifices Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifices-matter-5082233/) [Stories Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories-head-1485511/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [“we find nothing that gives our lives an objective meaning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-klein/we-find-nothing-that-gives-our-lives-an-objective-meaning/) [Stefan Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-klein/) > [I would have to think about it for two or three months before I decided to do something which would have meaning. And it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/i-would-have-to-think-about-it-for-two-or-three-months-before-i/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [No one actually lives as if there is no objective truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-blomberg/no-one-actually-lives-as-if-there-is-no-objective-truth/) [Craig Blomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-blomberg/) > [“A person who wants to believe lives in a world full of proof.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramona-ausubel/a-person-who-wants-to-believe-lives-in-a-world-full-of-proof/) [Ramona Ausubel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramona-ausubel/) > [I believe much of our lives is about guilt management.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-cole/i-believe-much-of-our-lives-is-about-guilt-management/) [Kenneth Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-cole/) > [In order to live man must believe in that for which he lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/in-order-to-live-man-must-believe-in-that-for-which-he-lives/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [I'll never live to write all the stories I have in my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/i-ll-never-live-to-write-all-the-stories-i-have-in-my-head/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [“We went back into the Mens Apartments where there were others raving of Ships that may fly and silvered Creatures upon the Moon: Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-ackroyd/we-went-back-into-the-mens-apartments-where-there-were-others-raving/) [Peter Ackroyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-ackroyd/) > [I fill up the well of stories in my head - without ever knowing I'm doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-morpurgo/i-fill-up-the-well-of-stories-in-my-head-without-ever-knowing-i-m/) [Michael Morpurgo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-morpurgo/) > [I've always, always, always listened to music since I was, like, 7 years old and made up stories in my head based on what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-giacchino/i-ve-always-always-always-listened-to-music-since-i-was-like-7-years/) [Michael Giacchino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-giacchino/) > [People tell me I'm very ambitious right now. 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