My North Star

“I know of no better life purpose than to perish in attempting the great and the impossible.” — Nietzsche said it sharper than I can. Here is what I’m actually pointing my life at, in writing, so the direction can’t quietly drift. Putting a goal somewhere other people can see it is a small and slightly terrifying act of commitment — which is exactly why I’m doing it.

The mission

Make the majority of humans’ lives better — four billion people or more. It sounds absurd to write down. That’s how I know it’s the right size. A goal you’re certain you can hit isn’t a north star; it’s an errand. I’d rather aim at something the size of the actual problem and fall short than aim low and succeed at nothing that mattered.

I don’t think one person does this alone, and I don’t think it happens in a single lifetime. But someone has to point at it plainly and start walking, and I’d like to be one of the people who did. Old men plant trees whose shade they’ll never sit in. I’m trying to plant a forest.

The goals

The working list — amended as I grow:

How I’ll know I’m on course

I’m wary of goals you can’t honestly check yourself against, so here’s how I’ll keep score. Is Amend iD in real people’s hands, making it easier for them to stay close to the people they love? Am I a calmer, stronger, more capable person this year than I was last? Is the little community of builders around this mission bigger and warmer than it was? If the honest answer is yes, I’m on course — however slowly. If it’s no, the plan gets amended, not abandoned.

I’ll update this page as the goals sharpen and the progress accumulates — failures included, because the failures are most of the data. If you’ve read this far, you now know exactly what I’m trying to do with my one life, so feel free to hold me to it. And if any of it resonates, come build it with me. I could use the company, and the road is a great deal more fun with good people on it. ;)

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