Are things actually getting worse, or does it only feel that way?

Why do so many people still feel stuck—even after reading the books, attending workshops, and deeply reflecting on meaning?

Most of us assume that if the world becomes wealthier, healthier, and more technologically advanced, people should also become happier. But that’s not what the data show. Over the past two decades, we’ve made remarkable material progress — yet many people feel more stressed, lonelier, and less hopeful than before. The puzzle is not a lack of solutions. It is a deeper problem of meaning.

Most change approaches start with behavior: what to do differently. Meaningful Purpose Psychology starts one layer deeper — with how we understand what is happening, why it matters, and what is actually guiding us before we act.

Without a clear foundation in Meaningful Purpose Psychology’s view of meaning, many change efforts remain fragile and short-lived — because the meanings guiding action were never fully examined, a pattern repeatedly documented in research on failed change initiatives. With that foundation, wiser action and more humane outcomes become genuinely attainable.

© 2026 Luis A. Marrero. Boston Institute for Meaningful Purpose. Module One of the Meaningful Purpose for Practitioners goes beyond teaching new techniques. It first changes what you see —so your actions are wiser and more coherent. After working carefully with meaning , people often notice three quiet but profound shifts. First, they see effort differently. They stop assuming that failure stems from laziness, resistance, or lack of motivation. Instead, they look for the me

This post explains why meaningful change fails when people focus only on behavior and motivation, and clarifies who meaning-based work is for. It shows how slowing down, examining assumptions, and developing meaning lucidity can lead to clearer purpose, steadier peace, and more effective leadership and change work.

This blog explains why an aspiring meaningful purpose practitioner begins with improving their own meaning lucidity before serving others.

Why do good ideas, therapy, and meaning so often fail to last? A simple reflection using the Parable of the Sower on why real change begins with preparing the ground, not adding more insight.

Logoteleology arose from a simple but persistent question raised by history and data alike: if meaning has been so abundantly offered, why has durable human flourishing remained so uneven and fragile? Its answer was methodological—to go first to the ground through which meaning is received, before tending to the meaning itself.

Meet Shannon Mumblo, President of Shannon Mumblo Consulting, Inc.—a Registered Nurse, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, and Ordained Minister with over 23 years of experience at the intersection of healthcare, human services, and organizational leadership. In this conversation, Shannon goes beyond surface-level change to explore what actually  makes transformation last. She shares how individuals and organizations get stuck in “survival mode,” why good intentions s

Lasting change is possible when meanings are analyzed and improved.

When meaning is unclear or distorted, even good intentions become unstable. Change doesn’t fail because people don’t care. It fails because the meaning guiding action was never fully examined.

Our conversation explores the nature of grief, common fears and misconceptions, the stages people experience, and how suffering can be approached with dignity rather than avoidance. Together, we discuss how loss changes who we are—and how, with the right support and understanding, it can also become a gateway to healing, resilience, and renewed meaning. Join us to learn about grieving with dignity.

© 2026. Luis A. Marrero. Boston Institute for Meaningful Purpose [Written by, with, and for human intelligence.] Where do you observe obedience today that conflicts with basic human dignity, and what meanings allow it to persist? "I am just following orders." This phrase took on deeper significance for me when, years ago, I first encountered Stanley Milgram's work (Milgram, 1963, 1974). His research did not ask whether people know right from wrong. It asked something more un

“I am just following orders.” It is a phrase most of us recognize—not because it is extreme, but because it feels familiar. I have heard it offered quietly, almost reflexively, as a way to explain actions taken under pressure. What concerns me is not the phrase itself, but what it signals: a subtle distancing from responsibility, from consequence, and sometimes from the human being affected by the action.

On the Assumptions That Shape Human Action and Outcomes © 2026 Luis A. Marrero. Boston Institute for Meaningful Purpose [Text written by, with, and for human intelligence.] Revised on January 17, 2026 Old North Church, Boston, Massachusetts I am often asked why I chose to start a new school of psychology, pioneer Organization Development 2.0, and place meaning at the center of my work—especially given the many existing theories, methods, and interventions already available.

At the Boston Institute for Meaningful Purpose, our blog is more than a collection of articles—it is an open learning space grounded in a clear mission: advancing the scientific study and practical application of meaningful purpose in life, work, and society. The Institute serves as an epicenter for logoteleological research and education—also known as Meaningful Purpose Psychology (MPP). That means our content reflects an active, evolving science. We study meaning, test idea

If we can learn to recognize when meaning goes awry, we may finally understand why so many well-intended solutions fall short—and how more lasting, humane, and effective paths forward become possible.

If you ever find yourself wondering why we seem to keep repeating the same mistakes, you are not alone. Why do societies struggle with problems we already understand? Why do organizations rise, fall, restructure, and fall again—despite having access to world-class research, consultants, and technology? our problems endure not because we lack answers, but because those answers fail to take root in how we live, decide, and act. What if the real problem is not what we know, bu