From the human point of view, life is but life, its main goal being life itself.
Religious Jewish life, however, is not "just life;" it contains certain goals and missions.
According to this view, living well means fulfilling life's mission.
This mission contains many parts and details, yet its essence is to perfect the body, the soul and the world, in the framework of an ongoing relationship with God.
This mission is to be fulfilled not at a certain age or life-period, but rather in each and every part of life, and in any situation in which one finds oneself.
Indeed, the system of commandments, in its entirety, shows that there is nothing, either in time or place, that does not somehow pertain to worshipping the Almighty and to the aspiration to perfect the soul and elevate the world.
Every nook and cranny in the Jew's life is surrounded by commandments, and the Jew is obligated to fulfill them at each and every moment.
So long as he does so properly, he fulfills life's aim.
True, everything has its own proper time and age; yet in no time and age is one exempt from God's worship.
In every age, one has different roles, according to his strength and ability at that specific age and situation.
And just as there are special functions for the young adult, so there are other roles that one is bound to fulfill as one progresses along the course of life.
–Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz
From the essay "From Childhood to Old Age: The Inner Aspect of Education" by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz