Real meaning in life doesn’t come from our own success — it comes from being a part of someone else’s, explains psychologist Brian S. Lowery. In his TED Talk, he makes the case for participating in other people’s stories — and allowing others to be a part of yours — and explains how this can provide you with a deeper sense of fulfillment, bringing you closer to the people you care about. “When you interact with other people and you illuminate them and help them shine more brightly, that’s how the world gets illuminated,” he says. “And in return, what you get is meaning.”