Life is lived best when taken with a grain of salt. You can’t control the things that are going to happen to you. You can certainly make decisions that create an environment more conducive to what you want happening; that doesn’t mean you get to choose your life. Life is this beautiful, happy, intricate, terrifying ride that you definitely have to learn to appreciate.

Life matters, and what you choose to do in your life matters too. In order to get to the places you want to be, you have to work hard and make the right decisions. It’s good to be driven and to have goals and to let yourself dream a big dream. Fight the good fight and live the life that you want to be remembered for.

On the flip side, having fun and enjoying your life is important. It’s amazing to work hard and to achieve, but what does that matter if you’re miserable the entire time? A sad, weary life is not what you should be striving for. Sometimes, at night, or on the weekends, it is ineffably important to take a break and let yourself recharge.

The conversation and relationships that you create with people can be just as important as any kind of achievement that could be written down and remembered.

It’s easy to lose yourself in the idea that you need to be doing something that will help you gain remembrance, reverence, but what about the people who know you now? When I thumb through the pages of history, it’s easy for me to find the men and women who were remembered for the hard work they put in to impact history. It’s nice to know that there are people who are so committed to our world. At the same time, I wonder what those people were like to their families. Did they treat people kindly and with respect?

The things that really matter in your life aren’t the things that the world will remember you for. Sure, it would be amazing to create a new invention, enact new legislation, or write a bestseller. Those are single moments though, not a life. One good moment doesn’t make for a good life.

Thus far, I’ve figured out that life is short, and that it will go by in the blink of an eye if you don’t learn to slow it down. This means that it’s important to live the best life you can, but also not take anything too seriously. The reason this is important is that everything is significant. Everything that you do has an impact, an effect on your life and the lives of others. There is no such thing as an action without consequences. That means that you can’t get hung up on the little mistakes.

Make the mistakes, try your best, and don’t get too down on yourself when things don’t turn out exactly the way you expect them to.