Your Life Isn't for You

This enhanced edition features six unique videos created by Seth Adam Smith, in settings ranging from nineteenth century England to medieval Russia, the Arizona desert, the mountains of Alaska, and more. Seth draws on literature, history, and his personal experiences with extraordinary "ordinary" people to tell stories that vividly illustrate the joys and rewards of a life lived for others. He also explains what it's like to live with a giant head and mean brothers and sisters. This book expands on the philosophy behind his extraordinarily popular blog post “Marriage Isn't for You”—which received over 30 million hits and has been translated into over twenty languages—and shares how living for others can enrich every aspect of your life, just as it has his. With a mix of humor, candor, and compassion, Seth Adam Smith reveals how, years before his marriage, his self-obsession led to a downward spiral of addiction and depression, culminating in a suicide attempt at the age of twenty. Reflecting on the love and support he experienced in the aftermath, as well as on the lessons he learned from a difficult missionary stint in Russia, his time as a youth leader in the Arizona desert, his marriage, and even a story his father read to him as a child, he shares his deep conviction that the only way you can find your life is to give it away to others.