By: Clay Routledge

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Existential psychology plays a central role in human progress and flourishing, in part, because meaning in life is a self-regulatory and motivational resource that helps people live healthy, productive, prosocial, and goal-oriented lives. More specifically, to explore, create, innovate, persevere in the face of adversity, have an optimistic attitude about the future, and come together in the service of solving the big challenges of today and building a better tomorrow, people need to view themselves as existential agents who believe they have the power to live a meaningful life. The greater people’s existential agency, the more they will be driven to improve their own lives and the lives of others. This report offers a snapshot of existential agency in America.