Chris Hadfield

That's a big question.

It's a very personal question because life means different things to different people.

And I think it also means, you know, I have a seven month old granddaughter, her answer to the meaning of life would be different than my 10 year old granddaughter or my 40 year old daughter or, or my wife and I at different stages of your life.

There are different goals and purposes.

I think my generic answer though is, um,

Have dreams.

Have things that are important to you.

They don't have to matter to anybody else.

But maybe a little internal thought experiment.

If my life goes perfectly from here forward, what will happen?

And if you don't have an answer to that question, then the odds of your dreams coming true are greatly diminished.

But if you've gone through the little self-thought experiment, what is it that I actually dream of?

I remember when I was 10, but now I'm a busy adult and I don't dream of anything anymore.

I think that's a self-destructive way to live.

What is it that you're dreaming of?

And I don't mean the transient, uncontrollable stuff like, you know, win the lottery or whatever.

I mean things that you can actually shape through your own choices.

And then once you've decided these are the actual things that are important to me in life, that I really want to have in my life, that make me feel joyful and fulfilled and proud,

And then once you have that list, then what are you doing this afternoon or this evening or this weekend in order to change who you are so that you are moving yourself and your life very slightly towards those dreams?

And how are you doing that now?