“Do not wait for the perfect moment; take the moment and make it perfect.”

– Anonymous

How do we balance the urgency of living fully in the present with the bigger question of what it all means in the long run?

Sartre had an interesting way of looking at this.

He said,

“Freedom is what you do with what’s been done to you.”

This quote speaks to the heart of existentialism—life doesn’t come with a roadmap.

We’re thrown into it, and it’s up to us to figure out how to live, how to be free in the midst of chaos.

Existentialism puts a lot of emphasis on living in the moment.

But it doesn’t just leave you there. It challenges you to actively create meaning from it.

How do you balance living fully in the present with forging your own path, and creating your own meaning in a world that doesn’t give you any?

Sartre was obsessed with what he called the “absurdity of being.”

He thought that life just is, and there’s no grand meaning or plan behind it.

It’s just us, here, existing. And that’s uncomfortable.

We’re faced with the realization that there’s no reason for it. But here’s the thing: Existentialism doesn’t want you to shy away from this discomfort.

Instead, it calls you to embrace it.

You don’t deny it; you live it.

Camus expanded on this in his work on the absurd. He proposed that we must live without the expectation that life will hand us meaning.

It’s up to us to face life’s meaninglessness head-on—and still choose to live anyway, creating purpose in the struggle itself.

This “here & now” isn’t just about passive mindfulness. It’s an active confrontation with existence. You need to choose to be here, to make choices in the moment, even when you know it’s all fleeting and uncertain.

Being “present” is not just about sitting quietly and observing life. It’s about acknowledging the rawness of it all and taking responsibility for your next step.

Beyond Presence

This is where existentialism and Stoicism part ways.

Stoicism is about accepting what we can’t control and finding peace with the universe’s indifference.

It’s about finding stillness in the face of hardship.

Existentialism, on the other hand, tells you: Yeah, life’s chaotic and uncertain, but you still need to make something of it.

You have the freedom (and the responsibility) to create your own meaning.

Heidegger talks about “authenticity” as a way of acting in accordance with your own life and its finite nature.

In other words, you don’t get to lie to yourself. You have to live truthfully, aligned with what you actually care about, even if that means confronting uncomfortable truths.

Comparison Table: Stoicism vs. Existentialism

Concept	Stoicism	Existentialism
Key Focus	Inner peace and acceptance of things beyond control	Personal responsibility for creating meaning
Approach to Time	Emphasizes control over reaction to past and future	Focuses on the immediacy of the present moment
Action vs. Acceptance	Cultivates inner calm in the face of external events	Demands action, authenticity, and self-defined meaning
Methods	Practical exercises (e.g., memento mori)	Self-determined paths for creating meaning
Philosophical Freedom	Structured, with defined practices	Completely open-ended, based on personal choice

The Role of Freedom in Creating Personal Meaning

One of the hardest things about existentialism is that it doesn’t give you any specific methods.

Unlike Stoicism, which has all these tools (like daily meditations, journaling, or reminders of mortality), existentialism is wide open.

It gives you total freedom to choose how to live, but it’s up to you to figure out your own way.

This freedom is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s incredibly liberating because you can shape your life however you want.

But on the other hand, it’s intimidating because it places all the responsibility on you. There’s no “one-size-fits-all” approach. If you’re used to systems or structures, this can feel overwhelming.

But in that freedom, you also find the potential for true personal growth.

I think this is where philosophies like Stoicism or even Epicureanism can come in handy.

For example, I might use Stoic reflections—like memento mori (reminding myself of my mortality)—as a way to push myself to live more authentically, according to my values.

So existentialism doesn’t mean you can’t pull in elements from other schools of thought to help you create your own path.

Exploring Existentialism Through Literature and Art

Below you will find historical and literary examples showing how different thinkers and artists approached the struggle to live fully in the present while finding meaning in an uncertain world.

World War II and Sartre’s Philosophy

During the chaos of World War II, Sartre, deeply immersed in the absurdity of existence, believed that humans must confront the meaninglessness of life head-on.

In his Being and Nothingness, he wrote about how human beings are “condemned to be free.”

In this chaos, Sartre argued, we are forced to choose meaning in a world devoid of inherent purpose.

The war’s uncertainties highlighted how individuals must take responsibility for their actions, even when life seems arbitrary and meaningless.

Camus and Living Despite Life’s Absurdity

Camus uses the myth of Sisyphus—condemned to endlessly roll a boulder up a hill, only to have it roll down again—to illustrate the existential struggle.

Sisyphus’ futile task reflects the absurdity of life: we keep pushing through despite knowing that life may not offer any grand meaning.

But Camus argues that Sisyphus is truly free because he continues to push the boulder, choosing to give his life meaning despite its inherent absurdity.

This perfectly exemplifies the existential idea that we must actively create meaning, even in a world that offers none.

Heidegger During the Nazi Regime

In the midst of Nazi Germany, Heidegger faced an existential crisis not only in his personal life but also in his philosophical outlook.

Heidegger’s concept of “authenticity” refers to living in a way that acknowledges the finite nature of existence, especially in the face of death.

His work on the concept of Being-toward-death urges individuals to live with awareness of their mortality.

During a period of immense political upheaval, Heidegger emphasized that embracing the inevitability of death can push people to live authentically and make meaningful choices, no matter the external circumstances.

The Ethics of Ambiguity by Simone de Beauvoir

Simone de Beauvoir’s existential work delves into the ambiguity of human existence. She suggests that we are neither fully free nor fully constrained—our freedom exists within the boundaries of societal structures, and yet we are responsible for how we navigate that freedom.

This idea aligns with the existentialist challenge to embrace life’s inherent uncertainty, to make choices authentically despite knowing that life offers no clear answers.

Emily Dickinson’s Poems on Time and Mortality

Emily Dickinson’s poetry often reflects the tension between life’s fleeting nature and its profound meaning.

For example, in her poem “Because I could not stop for Death,” Dickinson personifies death as a driver, inviting the speaker to take a slow, inevitable journey.

This portrayal captures the existentialist understanding of mortality—not as something to be feared or avoided, but something to be fully acknowledged and integrated into our understanding of life.

Dickinson’s work mirrors existential thought by embracing both the mundane and the profound aspects of existence.

Four Quartets by T.S. Eliot

In Four Quartets, Eliot explores the concept of time, both its fleeting nature and its eternal presence. Lines like, “Time present and time past / Are both perhaps present in time future,” express the existential tension between the transience of each moment and the eternal significance it can hold.

Eliot reflects on how we are bound by time, yet each moment holds a unique weight—a paradox that echoes existential concerns about finding meaning in a world that doesn’t offer it inherently.

Carl Jung’s Shadow Self

Carl Jung’s exploration of the “shadow self” involves confronting the darker, unconscious parts of ourselves—those elements that are often hidden or repressed.

This mirrors existentialism’s call to confront uncomfortable truths about existence.

For Jung, the process of understanding and integrating “the shadow” was essential for living authentically.

In this sense, facing the “shadow” is similar to confronting the “absurdity” of life, where we must take responsibility for the parts of ourselves that we often avoid, if we are to create meaning in our lives.

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

In Crime and Punishment, Dostoevsky examines the life of Raskolnikov, a man who commits a crime and is then tormented by the question of whether his life has meaning.

The novel explores themes of guilt, redemption, and the search for purpose in a world that seems indifferent.

Raskolnikov’s journey reflects the existential struggle of creating meaning when confronted with the absurdity of existence.

His eventual path to redemption can be seen as an active choice to give his life meaning, despite the moral and existential chaos surrounding him.

Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

In his poem “Song of Myself,” Whitman explores the idea of living fully in the present, celebrating the sensory experience of life. His call to “Be not ashamed, dear reader, to be yourself” challenges readers to embrace their individuality and live authentically in the moment.

Whitman’s poetry emphasizes the existential belief that each individual is responsible for their own life and meaning, urging us to embrace the present and actively create our own identity.

Living Authentically as Time Runs Out

One of the central existential concerns is death.

Not in a morbid, depressing way, but in the way that Simone de Beauvoir tackled it.

In her book The Ethics of Ambiguity, she explored the idea that life is inherently uncertain. We’re never fully free, but we’re not entirely bound either. It’s a constant balancing act.

As we age, time becomes more precious. But existentialism asks us to use that awareness—not to shrink away from it, but to embrace it.

There’s a beauty in knowing that time is limited, because it gives you the urgency to live authentically—to make your choices and act, even when life doesn’t offer easy answers.

This dance between the fleeting nature of life and our responsibility to live authentically is what makes existentialism so powerful.

You’re not allowed to just let life pass you by.

You have to do something with it.