The purpose of life is to connect with the people you encounter to whatever extent is possible. Smile at your barista, make your co-worker laugh, hug your kid.

Also I currently believe these things are true:

• Achieving a goal (thing, money, award, etc.) doesn’t feel nearly as good as fulfilling an identity.
• When you’re older, you will probably not want any of the things you wanted when you were younger. Long term goal setting sounds good, but is a little misguided.
• Do not hide your faults, especially from your children. Otherwise your kid or your coworker might love some false projection of you that is missing  the depth of your humanity.  Try telling someone a story that ends with you failing miserably and watch what your audience does. They will empathize. They will grow closer. They will try to help. You’ll feel better. Or they won’t, and you’ll know they are assholes.
• It’s really not possible to make big decisions. The way you’ll handle the turning points in your life is determined by habits, environment, and smaller decisions months or years prior. You can’t change trajectory more than a couple of degrees. So, focus on the moment day to day.
• The only thing we really know about the future is that we will carry into it the skills we develop today.
• The difference between someone who reads good books and someone who doesn’t is profound.
• Some other things I haven’t written yet.
• There is no shame in suffering;