The Quest for a Good Life: Are You Playing the Game Well?

[Written by DeepSeek]

Life is a fleeting game—one we’re lucky to play at all. Yet, here we are, trying to figure out the rules, the strategies, and the best way to make our time here meaningful. I’ve read countless books on happiness, purpose, and fulfillment. I’ve studied the lives of philosophers, artists, entrepreneurs, and everyday people who seem to have cracked some code. But the truth is, I’ll never really know how someone else perceives their own life. The only certainty I have is my own experience—how well I live, how deeply I feel, how fully I engage with this brief, beautiful existence.

And by most measures, my life is amazing. I have love, health, curiosity, and the freedom to explore. But still, I wonder: Can it be even better? Am I missing anything?

The Illusion of the “Perfect” Life

We often look at others—celebrities, mentors, friends—and imagine they’ve figured it all out. But no life is without struggle, doubt, or regret. The happiest people aren’t those who avoid suffering but those who find meaning in it. Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist, wrote in Man’s Search for Meaning that life is not about pleasure but about purpose. Even in suffering, we can choose our response.

So, if I want to live better, perhaps the question isn’t “Am I doing everything right?” but rather:

Am I Doing Everything True?

• Am I living in alignment with my deepest values? Or am I chasing someone else’s definition of success?
• Am I present? Or am I lost in nostalgia for the past or anxiety about the future?
• Am I creating, loving, and exploring as much as I can? Or am I holding back out of fear?

The Only Real Regret: Not Trying

At the end, I don’t want to wonder, “What if I had taken that chance?” or “Why did I hold back?” I want to say, “Wow, I really went for it.” That doesn’t mean reckless abandon—it means intentional boldness.

So how do we play the game better?

1. Define What “Better” Means to You

Not society. Not your parents. Not Instagram. You. Is it deeper relationships? More adventure? Greater creativity?

2. Embrace the Mess

A good life isn’t a perfectly curated highlight reel. It’s full of mistakes, detours, and unexpected turns. The mess is where the growth happens.

3. Seek Experiences Over Certainty

We often wait for the “right moment” to start something—a career change, a difficult conversation, a dream project. But life doesn’t wait. The only way to know if you’re missing something is to try more things.

4. Leave Room for Wonder

The best moments often come unplanned—a spontaneous conversation, a sudden insight, a quiet moment of awe. Don’t over-optimize your life into a rigid schedule.

5. Ask Yourself: “When I’m 80, Will I Wish I Had Done This?”

If the answer is yes, do it now.

The Final Score

We won’t get a report card at the end. No one will tally up our achievements and declare, “You lived well.” The only judge is you.

So play hard. Play with curiosity, courage, and kindness. And when the game is over, let your final thought be:

“I came. I enjoyed. I have no regrets.”

Because achieving presence, pleasure, and peace truly is a life well lived.

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What about you? How do you define a good life?