Tyson offers options of how to put ideas to work that puts people to work; options that create instead of tear down; options risky, but full of promise.

His response, on Reddit, when asked “What can you tell a young man looking for motivation in life itself?” was:

“The problem, often not discovered until late in life, is that when you look for things in life like love, meaning, motivation, it implies they are sitting behind a tree or under a rock.

The most successful people in life recognize, that in life they create their own love, they manufacture their own meaning, they generate their own motivation.

For me, I am driven by two main philosophies, know more today about the world than I knew yesterday. And lessen the suffering of others. You’d be surprised how far that gets you.”

His latest book is titled Space Chronicles: Facing the Ultimate Frontier.