🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 39 (from laksa096)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa039.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical, ml_categories_json AS ml_categories_json, ml_types_json AS ml_types_json, ml_intent_types_json AS ml_intent_types_json, meta_language AS meta_language, attrs_author AS attrs_author, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(attrs_publish_time), 0) AS attrs_publish_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(attrs_original_publish_time), 0) AS attrs_original_publish_time, ifNull(attrs_is_republished, 0) AS attrs_is_republished, ifNull(attrs_nr_words, 0) AS attrs_nr_words, ifNull(attrs_boilerpipe_nr_words, 0) AS attrs_boilerpipe_nr_words, ifNull(body_ext_links_number, 0) AS body_ext_links_number, ifNull(body_int_links_number, 0) AS body_int_links_number, ifNull(meta_nofollow, 0) AS meta_nofollow, ifNull(meta_noarchive, 0) AS meta_noarchive, ifNull(props_was_rendered, 0) AS props_was_rendered, ifNull(src_redirect, \'\') AS src_redirect, ifNull(download_time_msec, 0) AS download_time_msec, ifNull(download_ttfb_msec, 0) AS download_ttfb_msec, ifNull(download_size, 0) AS download_size FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://time.com/3584646/find-meaning-in-life/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://time.com/3584646/find-meaning-in-life/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/time.com\/3584646\/find-meaning-in-life\/","crawl_time":1775938582,"first_indexed_time":1562087170,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,time!\/3584646\/find-meaning-in-life\/ s443","src_root_hash":"9797552172251460839","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"How Do We Find Meaning in Life?","meta_descriptions":["Human beings certainly gravitate to religion and it seems we all have an tendency to believe in some sort of karma. Your mind may require..."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"That may seem depressing but it also means that\nyou can craft the stories in your life to build meaning and fulfillment.\nThe idea is that if we want to change people’s behaviors, we need to try to get inside their heads and understand how they see the world—the stories and narratives they tell themselves about who they are and why they do what they do.\nSo how can you decide what is really meaningful?\nHow can you shape the story?\nThinking about your funeral\n(morbid as it may sound) can help you envision the story you would like told about your life.\nHow do you make the story part of your life?\nBe the story you tell yourself.\n…the “do good, be good” method. It capitalizes on the tried-and-true psychological principle that\nour attitudes and beliefs often follow from our behaviors, rather than precede them.\nAs Kurt Vonnegut famously wrote,\n“\nWe are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.\n“\nPeople who do volunteer work, for example, often change their narratives of who they are, coming to view themselves as caring, helpful people. Well-designed studies have shown that teen girls who participate in community service programs do better in school and are less likely to become pregnant.\nJoin 25K+ readers.\nGet a free weekly update via email\nhere\n.","attrs_markdown":"[Skip to Content](https:\/\/time.com\/3584646\/find-meaning-in-life\/#maincontent)\n\n- Menu\n  \n  Close\n\n[Subscribe](https:\/\/time.com\/subscribe-header-time\/)\n\n- [Ideas](https:\/\/time.com\/section\/ideas\/)\n- [Psychology](https:\/\/time.com\/tag\/psychology\/)\n# How Do We Find Meaning in Life?\n[ADD TIME ON GOOGLE](https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/time.com)\n\nShow me more content from TIME on Google Search\n\nby\n\n[Eric Barker](https:\/\/time.com\/author\/eric-barker\/)\n\nNov 17, 2014 5:01 AM CUT\n\n![plant](https:\/\/gcp-na-images.contentstack.com\/v3\/assets\/bltea6093859af6183b\/blt16b4106eecb40911\/698768c25f570f3fe5b138e2\/plant.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3%3A2)\n\nBursting into life\n\nBursting into lifeGetty Images\n\nby\n\n[Eric Barker](https:\/\/time.com\/author\/eric-barker\/)\n\nNov 17, 2014 5:01 AM CUT\n\nHuman beings certainly gravitate to religion and it seems we all have an tendency to believe in some sort of [karma](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/deep-down-do-we-all-believe-in-karma-at-least \"undefined\"). Your mind may [*require*](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/does-the-human-mind-require-meaning \"undefined\") meaning. Studies show it’s one of the [key factors](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/what-are-the-three-keys-to-happiness \"undefined\") underlying [happiness](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/what-are-the-three-ways-to-find-happiness \"undefined\") and [motivation](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/what-really-motivates-us \"undefined\").\n\n**So what is meaning in life and what does research say about how we might be able to find it?**\n\n**Stories**\n\nStudies have shown that stories are key to some of the most fundamental parts of our lives: [increasing](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/how-to-make-yourself-happier-in-just-a-few-se \"undefined\") [happiness](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/hamlet-macbeth-othello-why-would-anyone-enjoy \"undefined\"), [group solidarity](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/how-do-you-improve-team-morale \"undefined\") and [meaning in life.](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/how-to-add-meaning-to-your-life \"undefined\")\n\n**Some research indicates that to have meaning in your life** [**you must have a story**](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/how-to-add-meaning-to-your-life \"undefined\")**. You need to reflect on how things could have been and why they turned out the way they did. Seeing that things had a direction and a purpose provides meaning.**\n\n- Studies show that [a good portion of the benefit from religion comes from the meaning it gives to life](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/can-you-get-the-well-being-benefits-of-religi \"undefined\").\n\n- Looking back on our lives necessitates a narrative so it’s not surprise that nostalgia [increases](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/how-can-you-increase-your-sense-of-meaning-in \"undefined\") feelings of meaning in life.\n\n- The stories we tell do [reveal who we are](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/do-the-stories-you-tell-reveal-who-you-are \"undefined\").\n\n- The reason people commit suicide is because [they don’t live up to the standards](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/why-do-people-commit-suicide \"undefined\") of the stories they tell themselves.\n\nFundamentally, **our brains** [**may not be able to tell the difference between the real and the story**](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/does-tv-affect-your-view-of-the-world \"undefined\")**.**\n\nBut stories also [distort the world](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/do-stories-rule-our-lives-would-that-be-good \"undefined\"). People who watch lots of TV are [less accurate judges of reality](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/how-can-you-improve-your-ability-to-judge-lif \"undefined\"). Fiction makes [makes our perspective less accurate](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/does-tv-increase-empathy \"undefined\").\n\nWhat’s even more interesting is the truth may not matter. **Feeling that you know yourself creates a strong sense of meaning in life —**[***whether or not you actually know yourself doesn’t make a difference***](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/what-might-be-the-path-to-finding-meaning-in \"undefined\")***.***\n\nAdvertisement\n\nThat may seem depressing but it also means that **you can craft the stories in your life to build meaning and fulfillment.**\n\nTimothy Wilson, author of [Redirect: The Surprising New Science of Psychological Change](http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0316051888\/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316051888 \"undefined\"), has [talked about](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/are-stories-the-secret-to-changing-our-lives \"undefined\") how the process of “story-editing” can help us improve our lives:\n\n**The idea is that if we want to change people’s behaviors, we need to try to get inside their heads and understand how they see the world—the stories and narratives they tell themselves about who they are and why they do what they do.**\n\n**So how can you decide what is really meaningful?**\n\nYour own [regrets](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/how-do-you-know-what-is-meaningful-and-fulfil \"undefined\") and the most common [regrets of the dying](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/how-can-you-live-life-without-regret \"undefined\") might lead you in the right direction.\n\n**How can you shape the story?**\n\n[Thinking about your funeral](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/how-can-you-figure-out-what-your-real-long-te \"undefined\") (morbid as it may sound) can help you envision the story you would like told about your life.\n\n**How do you make the story part of your life?**\n\n**Be the story you tell yourself.**\n\nAgain, [Timothy Wilson](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/are-stories-the-secret-to-changing-our-lives \"undefined\"):\n\nAdvertisement\n\n…the “do good, be good” method. It capitalizes on the tried-and-true psychological principle that **our attitudes and beliefs often follow from our behaviors, rather than precede them.** As Kurt Vonnegut famously wrote, **“**[**We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.**](http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0385334141\/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0385334141&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 \"undefined\")**“** People who do volunteer work, for example, often change their narratives of who they are, coming to view themselves as caring, helpful people. Well-designed studies have shown that teen girls who participate in community service programs do better in school and are less likely to become pregnant.\n\n***This piece originally appeared on*** [***Barking Up the Wrong Tree***](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/2012\/08\/how-do-we-find-meaning-in-life\/ \"undefined\")***.***\n\n**Join 25K+ readers.** Get a free weekly update via email [here](http:\/\/eepurl.com\/o6uAD \"undefined\").\n\n## Must-Reads from TIME\n- [What to Know About the 25th Amendment as Lawmakers Call for Trump’s Removal](https:\/\/time.com\/article\/2026\/04\/06\/25th-amendment-constitution-trump-war-iran-threat-insanity\/?utm_rs=IL_GNBazf4RR9GSs3N-N37Btw)\n- [American Men Are Set to Be Automatically Registered for the Draft. Here’s What to Know](https:\/\/time.com\/article\/2026\/04\/09\/us-men-automatic-military-draft-change\/?utm_rs=IL_GNBazf4RR9GSs3N-N37Btw)\n- [‘Safe and sound’: How a U.S. Airman Shot Down in Iran Was Rescued From a Mountain Crevice](https:\/\/time.com\/article\/2026\/04\/05\/-safe-and-sound-how-a-u-s-airman-shot-down-in-iran-was-rescued-from-a-mountain-crevice\/?utm_rs=IL_GNBazf4RR9GSs3N-N37Btw)\n- [How NASA Achieved the Historic Artemis II Splashdown](https:\/\/time.com\/article\/2026\/04\/10\/artemis-ii-historic-splashdown\/?utm_rs=IL_GNBazf4RR9GSs3N-N37Btw)\n- [Starmer Says He's 'Fed Up' With Trump as Europe Splinters From U.S. Over Iran War](https:\/\/time.com\/article\/2026\/04\/10\/european-leaders-criticize-trump-over-iran-war-starmer-energy-prices\/?utm_rs=IL_GNBazf4RR9GSs3N-N37Btw)\n- [What to Know About the Army Chief Hegseth Ousted—and the General Who’s Taking Over](https:\/\/time.com\/article\/2026\/04\/03\/hegseth-army-firings-chief-of-staff\/?utm_rs=IL_GNBazf4RR9GSs3N-N37Btw)\n\n- [What to Know About the 25th Amendment as Lawmakers Call for Trump’s Removal](https:\/\/time.com\/article\/2026\/04\/06\/25th-amendment-constitution-trump-war-iran-threat-insanity\/?utm_rs=IL_GNBazf4RR9GSs3N-N37Btw)\n- [American Men Are Set to Be Automatically Registered for the Draft. Here’s What to Know](https:\/\/time.com\/article\/2026\/04\/09\/us-men-automatic-military-draft-change\/?utm_rs=IL_GNBazf4RR9GSs3N-N37Btw)\n- [‘Safe and sound’: How a U.S. Airman Shot Down in Iran Was Rescued From a Mountain Crevice](https:\/\/time.com\/article\/2026\/04\/05\/-safe-and-sound-how-a-u-s-airman-shot-down-in-iran-was-rescued-from-a-mountain-crevice\/?utm_rs=IL_GNBazf4RR9GSs3N-N37Btw)\n\nRead More\n\n## Sections\n- [Home](https:\/\/time.com\/)\n- [Politics](https:\/\/time.com\/section\/politics\/)\n- [Health](https:\/\/time.com\/section\/health\/)\n- [AI](https:\/\/time.com\/tag\/ai\/)\n- [World](https:\/\/time.com\/section\/world\/)\n- [Business](https:\/\/time.com\/section\/business\/)\n- [Science](https:\/\/time.com\/section\/science\/)\n\n- [Climate](https:\/\/time.com\/section\/climate\/)\n- [Ideas](https:\/\/time.com\/section\/ideas\/)\n- [Entertainment](https:\/\/time.com\/section\/entertainment\/)\n- [Sports](https:\/\/time.com\/section\/sports\/)\n- [Technology](https:\/\/time.com\/tag\/technology\/)\n- [Newsletters](https:\/\/time.com\/newsletters\/?source=TD_Footer_Link&utm_source_pg=web&utm_medium_pg=footer&utm_campaign_pg=footer&utm_content_pg=footer-inside-time)\n\n## More\n- [The TIME Vault](https:\/\/time.com\/vault\/)\n- [TIME Africa](https:\/\/africa.time.com\/)\n- [TIME France](https:\/\/www.timefrance.fr\/)\n- [TIME For Kids](https:\/\/www.timeforkids.com\/)\n- [TIME Futures](https:\/\/time.com\/collection\/time-co2-futures\/)\n\n- [TIME Studios](https:\/\/studios.time.com\/)\n- [Video](https:\/\/time.com\/collections\/time-video\/)\n- [Red Border](https:\/\/redborder.time.com\/)\n- [Supplied Partner Content](https:\/\/partnercontent.time.com\/)\n\n## About Us\n- [Our Mission](https:\/\/time.com\/about-time\/)\n- [Contact the Editors](mailto:feedback@time.com)\n- [Press Room](https:\/\/time.com\/section\/press-room\/)\n- [Media Kit](https:\/\/time.com\/mediakit\/)\n- [Reprints & Permissions](https:\/\/www.parsintl.com\/publication\/time)\n\n- [Masthead](https:\/\/time.com\/time-masthead\/)\n- [Careers](https:\/\/time.com\/join-time\/)\n- [Site Map](https:\/\/time.com\/sitemap.xml)\n- [Modern Slavery Statement](https:\/\/time.com\/modern-slavery-statement\/)\n\n## Your Subscriptions\n- [Subscribe](https:\/\/time.com\/subscribe-footer-time\/)\n- [Access My Digital Magazine](https:\/\/geo.ema.gs\/time_digital)\n- [Manage My Subscription](https:\/\/support.time.com\/)\n- [Global Help Center](https:\/\/support.time.com\/)\n\n- [Buy an Issue](https:\/\/magazineshop.us\/collections\/time-magazine\/)\n- [Shop the Cover Store](https:\/\/timecoverstore.com\/)\n- [Give a Gift](https:\/\/time.com\/giveagift\/)\n\n© 2026 TIME USA, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our [Terms of Service](https:\/\/legal.time.com\/terms-of-service), [Privacy Policy (Your Privacy Rights)](https:\/\/legal.time.com\/us-privacy-policy) and Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information.\n\nTIME may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.","attrs_readable_markdown":"That may seem depressing but it also means that **you can craft the stories in your life to build meaning and fulfillment.**\n\n**The idea is that if we want to change people’s behaviors, we need to try to get inside their heads and understand how they see the world—the stories and narratives they tell themselves about who they are and why they do what they do.**\n\n**So how can you decide what is really meaningful?**\n\n**How can you shape the story?**\n\n[Thinking about your funeral](http:\/\/www.bakadesuyo.com\/how-can-you-figure-out-what-your-real-long-te \"undefined\") (morbid as it may sound) can help you envision the story you would like told about your life.\n\n**How do you make the story part of your life?**\n\n**Be the story you tell yourself.**\n\n…the “do good, be good” method. It capitalizes on the tried-and-true psychological principle that **our attitudes and beliefs often follow from our behaviors, rather than precede them.** As Kurt Vonnegut famously wrote, **“**[**We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.**](http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0385334141\/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0385334141&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 \"undefined\")**“** People who do volunteer work, for example, often change their narratives of who they are, coming to view themselves as caring, helpful people. Well-designed studies have shown that teen girls who participate in community service programs do better in school and are less likely to become pregnant.\n\n**Join 25K+ readers.** Get a free weekly update via email [here](http:\/\/eepurl.com\/o6uAD \"undefined\").","meta_canonical":null,"ml_categories_json":"{\"\/People_and_Society\":981,\"\/People_and_Society\/Social_Sciences\":404,\"\/People_and_Society\/Social_Sciences\/Psychology\":400}","ml_types_json":"{\"\/Article\":997,\"\/Article\/Thought_Leadership\":356}","ml_intent_types_json":"{\"Informational\":999}","meta_language":"en","attrs_author":"Eric Barker","attrs_publish_time":1416200474,"attrs_original_publish_time":1416200474,"attrs_is_republished":0,"attrs_nr_words":"906","attrs_boilerpipe_nr_words":"230","body_ext_links_number":69,"body_int_links_number":56,"meta_nofollow":0,"meta_noarchive":0,"props_was_rendered":0,"src_redirect":"","download_time_msec":370,"download_ttfb_msec":367,"download_size":62060}

3. Robots.txt Check

Query:

Response:

4. Spam/Ban Check

Query:

Response:

5. Seen Status Check

ℹ️ Skipped - page is already crawled

📄

INDEXABLE

✅

CRAWLED

12 days ago

🤖

ROBOTS ALLOWED

Page Info Filters

Filter	Status	Condition	Details
HTTP status	PASS	`download_http_code = 200`	HTTP 200
Age cutoff	PASS	`download_stamp > now() - 6 MONTH`	0.4 months ago
History drop	PASS	`isNull(history_drop_reason)`	No drop reason
Spam/ban	PASS	`fh_dont_index != 1 AND ml_spam_score = 0`	ml_spam_score=0
Canonical	PASS	`meta_canonical IS NULL OR = '' OR = src_unparsed`	Not set

Page Details

Property

Value

URL

https://time.com/3584646/find-meaning-in-life/

Last Crawled

2026-04-11 20:16:22 (12 days ago)

First Indexed

2019-07-02 17:06:10 (6 years ago)

HTTP Status Code

200

Content

Meta Title

How Do We Find Meaning in Life?

Meta Description

Human beings certainly gravitate to religion and it seems we all have an tendency to believe in some sort of karma. Your mind may require...

Meta Canonical

null

Boilerpipe Text

That may seem depressing but it also means that you can craft the stories in your life to build meaning and fulfillment. The idea is that if we want to change people’s behaviors, we need to try to get inside their heads and understand how they see the world—the stories and narratives they tell themselves about who they are and why they do what they do. So how can you decide what is really meaningful? How can you shape the story? Thinking about your funeral (morbid as it may sound) can help you envision the story you would like told about your life. How do you make the story part of your life? Be the story you tell yourself. …the “do good, be good” method. It capitalizes on the tried-and-true psychological principle that our attitudes and beliefs often follow from our behaviors, rather than precede them. As Kurt Vonnegut famously wrote, “ We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be. “ People who do volunteer work, for example, often change their narratives of who they are, coming to view themselves as caring, helpful people. Well-designed studies have shown that teen girls who participate in community service programs do better in school and are less likely to become pregnant. Join 25K+ readers. Get a free weekly update via email here .

Markdown

[Skip to Content](https://time.com/3584646/find-meaning-in-life/#maincontent) - Menu Close [Subscribe](https://time.com/subscribe-header-time/) - [Ideas](https://time.com/section/ideas/) - [Psychology](https://time.com/tag/psychology/) # How Do We Find Meaning in Life? [ADD TIME ON GOOGLE](https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=https://time.com) Show me more content from TIME on Google Search by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) Nov 17, 2014 5:01 AM CUT ![plant](https://gcp-na-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt16b4106eecb40911/698768c25f570f3fe5b138e2/plant.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3%3A2) Bursting into life Bursting into lifeGetty Images by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) Nov 17, 2014 5:01 AM CUT Human beings certainly gravitate to religion and it seems we all have an tendency to believe in some sort of [karma](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/deep-down-do-we-all-believe-in-karma-at-least "undefined"). Your mind may [*require*](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/does-the-human-mind-require-meaning "undefined") meaning. Studies show it’s one of the [key factors](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/what-are-the-three-keys-to-happiness "undefined") underlying [happiness](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/what-are-the-three-ways-to-find-happiness "undefined") and [motivation](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/what-really-motivates-us "undefined"). **So what is meaning in life and what does research say about how we might be able to find it?** **Stories** Studies have shown that stories are key to some of the most fundamental parts of our lives: [increasing](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/how-to-make-yourself-happier-in-just-a-few-se "undefined") [happiness](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/hamlet-macbeth-othello-why-would-anyone-enjoy "undefined"), [group solidarity](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/how-do-you-improve-team-morale "undefined") and [meaning in life.](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/how-to-add-meaning-to-your-life "undefined") **Some research indicates that to have meaning in your life** [**you must have a story**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/how-to-add-meaning-to-your-life "undefined")**. You need to reflect on how things could have been and why they turned out the way they did. Seeing that things had a direction and a purpose provides meaning.** - Studies show that [a good portion of the benefit from religion comes from the meaning it gives to life](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/can-you-get-the-well-being-benefits-of-religi "undefined"). - Looking back on our lives necessitates a narrative so it’s not surprise that nostalgia [increases](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/how-can-you-increase-your-sense-of-meaning-in "undefined") feelings of meaning in life. - The stories we tell do [reveal who we are](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/do-the-stories-you-tell-reveal-who-you-are "undefined"). - The reason people commit suicide is because [they don’t live up to the standards](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/why-do-people-commit-suicide "undefined") of the stories they tell themselves. Fundamentally, **our brains** [**may not be able to tell the difference between the real and the story**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/does-tv-affect-your-view-of-the-world "undefined")**.** But stories also [distort the world](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/do-stories-rule-our-lives-would-that-be-good "undefined"). People who watch lots of TV are [less accurate judges of reality](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/how-can-you-improve-your-ability-to-judge-lif "undefined"). Fiction makes [makes our perspective less accurate](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/does-tv-increase-empathy "undefined"). What’s even more interesting is the truth may not matter. **Feeling that you know yourself creates a strong sense of meaning in life —**[***whether or not you actually know yourself doesn’t make a difference***](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/what-might-be-the-path-to-finding-meaning-in "undefined")***.*** Advertisement That may seem depressing but it also means that **you can craft the stories in your life to build meaning and fulfillment.** Timothy Wilson, author of [Redirect: The Surprising New Science of Psychological Change](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316051888/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=spacforrent-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316051888 "undefined"), has [talked about](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/are-stories-the-secret-to-changing-our-lives "undefined") how the process of “story-editing” can help us improve our lives: **The idea is that if we want to change people’s behaviors, we need to try to get inside their heads and understand how they see the world—the stories and narratives they tell themselves about who they are and why they do what they do.** **So how can you decide what is really meaningful?** Your own [regrets](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/how-do-you-know-what-is-meaningful-and-fulfil "undefined") and the most common [regrets of the dying](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/how-can-you-live-life-without-regret "undefined") might lead you in the right direction. **How can you shape the story?** [Thinking about your funeral](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/how-can-you-figure-out-what-your-real-long-te "undefined") (morbid as it may sound) can help you envision the story you would like told about your life. **How do you make the story part of your life?** **Be the story you tell yourself.** Again, [Timothy Wilson](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/are-stories-the-secret-to-changing-our-lives "undefined"): Advertisement …the “do good, be good” method. It capitalizes on the tried-and-true psychological principle that **our attitudes and beliefs often follow from our behaviors, rather than precede them.** As Kurt Vonnegut famously wrote, **“**[**We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385334141/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0385334141&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined")**“** People who do volunteer work, for example, often change their narratives of who they are, coming to view themselves as caring, helpful people. Well-designed studies have shown that teen girls who participate in community service programs do better in school and are less likely to become pregnant. ***This piece originally appeared on*** [***Barking Up the Wrong Tree***](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/08/how-do-we-find-meaning-in-life/ "undefined")***.*** **Join 25K+ readers.** Get a free weekly update via email [here](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD "undefined"). ## Must-Reads from TIME - [What to Know About the 25th Amendment as Lawmakers Call for Trump’s Removal](https://time.com/article/2026/04/06/25th-amendment-constitution-trump-war-iran-threat-insanity/?utm_rs=IL_GNBazf4RR9GSs3N-N37Btw) - [American Men Are Set to Be Automatically Registered for the Draft. Here’s What to Know](https://time.com/article/2026/04/09/us-men-automatic-military-draft-change/?utm_rs=IL_GNBazf4RR9GSs3N-N37Btw) - [‘Safe and sound’: How a U.S. Airman Shot Down in Iran Was Rescued From a Mountain Crevice](https://time.com/article/2026/04/05/-safe-and-sound-how-a-u-s-airman-shot-down-in-iran-was-rescued-from-a-mountain-crevice/?utm_rs=IL_GNBazf4RR9GSs3N-N37Btw) - [How NASA Achieved the Historic Artemis II Splashdown](https://time.com/article/2026/04/10/artemis-ii-historic-splashdown/?utm_rs=IL_GNBazf4RR9GSs3N-N37Btw) - [Starmer Says He's 'Fed Up' With Trump as Europe Splinters From U.S. Over Iran War](https://time.com/article/2026/04/10/european-leaders-criticize-trump-over-iran-war-starmer-energy-prices/?utm_rs=IL_GNBazf4RR9GSs3N-N37Btw) - [What to Know About the Army Chief Hegseth Ousted—and the General Who’s Taking Over](https://time.com/article/2026/04/03/hegseth-army-firings-chief-of-staff/?utm_rs=IL_GNBazf4RR9GSs3N-N37Btw) - [What to Know About the 25th Amendment as Lawmakers Call for Trump’s Removal](https://time.com/article/2026/04/06/25th-amendment-constitution-trump-war-iran-threat-insanity/?utm_rs=IL_GNBazf4RR9GSs3N-N37Btw) - [American Men Are Set to Be Automatically Registered for the Draft. Here’s What to Know](https://time.com/article/2026/04/09/us-men-automatic-military-draft-change/?utm_rs=IL_GNBazf4RR9GSs3N-N37Btw) - [‘Safe and sound’: How a U.S. Airman Shot Down in Iran Was Rescued From a Mountain Crevice](https://time.com/article/2026/04/05/-safe-and-sound-how-a-u-s-airman-shot-down-in-iran-was-rescued-from-a-mountain-crevice/?utm_rs=IL_GNBazf4RR9GSs3N-N37Btw) Read More ## Sections - [Home](https://time.com/) - [Politics](https://time.com/section/politics/) - [Health](https://time.com/section/health/) - [AI](https://time.com/tag/ai/) - [World](https://time.com/section/world/) - [Business](https://time.com/section/business/) - [Science](https://time.com/section/science/) - [Climate](https://time.com/section/climate/) - [Ideas](https://time.com/section/ideas/) - [Entertainment](https://time.com/section/entertainment/) - [Sports](https://time.com/section/sports/) - [Technology](https://time.com/tag/technology/) - [Newsletters](https://time.com/newsletters/?source=TD_Footer_Link&utm_source_pg=web&utm_medium_pg=footer&utm_campaign_pg=footer&utm_content_pg=footer-inside-time) ## More - [The TIME Vault](https://time.com/vault/) - [TIME Africa](https://africa.time.com/) - [TIME France](https://www.timefrance.fr/) - [TIME For Kids](https://www.timeforkids.com/) - [TIME Futures](https://time.com/collection/time-co2-futures/) - [TIME Studios](https://studios.time.com/) - [Video](https://time.com/collections/time-video/) - [Red Border](https://redborder.time.com/) - [Supplied Partner Content](https://partnercontent.time.com/) ## About Us - [Our Mission](https://time.com/about-time/) - [Contact the Editors](mailto:feedback@time.com) - [Press Room](https://time.com/section/press-room/) - [Media Kit](https://time.com/mediakit/) - [Reprints & Permissions](https://www.parsintl.com/publication/time) - [Masthead](https://time.com/time-masthead/) - [Careers](https://time.com/join-time/) - [Site Map](https://time.com/sitemap.xml) - [Modern Slavery Statement](https://time.com/modern-slavery-statement/) ## Your Subscriptions - [Subscribe](https://time.com/subscribe-footer-time/) - [Access My Digital Magazine](https://geo.ema.gs/time_digital) - [Manage My Subscription](https://support.time.com/) - [Global Help Center](https://support.time.com/) - [Buy an Issue](https://magazineshop.us/collections/time-magazine/) - [Shop the Cover Store](https://timecoverstore.com/) - [Give a Gift](https://time.com/giveagift/) © 2026 TIME USA, LLC. 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Readable Markdown

That may seem depressing but it also means that **you can craft the stories in your life to build meaning and fulfillment.** **The idea is that if we want to change people’s behaviors, we need to try to get inside their heads and understand how they see the world—the stories and narratives they tell themselves about who they are and why they do what they do.** **So how can you decide what is really meaningful?** **How can you shape the story?** [Thinking about your funeral](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/how-can-you-figure-out-what-your-real-long-te "undefined") (morbid as it may sound) can help you envision the story you would like told about your life. **How do you make the story part of your life?** **Be the story you tell yourself.** …the “do good, be good” method. It capitalizes on the tried-and-true psychological principle that **our attitudes and beliefs often follow from our behaviors, rather than precede them.** As Kurt Vonnegut famously wrote, **“**[**We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385334141/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0385334141&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined")**“** People who do volunteer work, for example, often change their narratives of who they are, coming to view themselves as caring, helpful people. Well-designed studies have shown that teen girls who participate in community service programs do better in school and are less likely to become pregnant. **Join 25K+ readers.** Get a free weekly update via email [here](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD "undefined").

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Eric Barker

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2014-11-17 05:01:14 (11 years ago)

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