Mr Bill Gates, Chairman of Microsoft Corp, and Mr Warren Buffett, a well-known investor in the United States, are among the world's wealthiest people but they are willing to give away the majority of their fortune to charity. Besides these rich people, you probably have also heard about touching stories of ordinary or poor people helping the needy, like Mother Teresa. What is the significance of such acts?

According to Dr Seligman, a meaningful life means applying one's strengths not only on a daily basis, but also for attaining goals, an action that surpasses happiness. For some people, making sacrifice may reduce the feeling of happiness, but this can be compensated by the sense of meaningfulness. Finding meaningfulness may also involve re-appraisal of events to find out positive messages. If you experience something negative or tragic, finding meaningfulness from the experience could help you feel fortunate instead of unfortunate, and cope with a dilemma. Research findings indicate that among those who have lost their family members, some held a positive view of death and had better psychological adjustment. In addition, finding meaningfulness enhances one's personal growth, values and physical and mental health.

The quest for a meaningful life involves satisfying four core needs. The first need is to recognise what you are doing can help you attain your goals. The second need is about values, meaning you find it worthwhile to do those things you consider positive. The third need is to enhance one's senses of efficacy and control of their environment, particularly after suffering from a trauma. The last one is finding one's own values, which means contributing to something meaningful makes one feel good.

Every person can pursue his or her own unique meaningfulness of life. As a police officer, you can find a lot of meaningfulness from your job, apart from a stable income and fringe benefits. For example, one of your important missions is protecting and saving lives. You may also feel good that you are properly exercising your powers in maintaining law and order.

The quest for a meaningful life can be a lifelong process, especially when life is rough and happiness appears to be a distant dream. Finding meaningfulness is like dropping an anchor, which makes you feel safe in rough sea and helps you grow in a painful situation, leading you to authentic happiness and satisfaction.