---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are hardwired to connect with others…"
description: "\"We are hardwired to connect with others, it's what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it there is suffering.\" — Brené Brown"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e6/bren-brown-280_belonging_we-are-hardwired-to-connect-with-others_1620555.jpg"
---

#  We are hardwired to connect with others, it's what gives…

![“We are hardwired to connect with others, it's what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it there is suffering.” quote by Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e6/bren-brown-280_belonging_we-are-hardwired-to-connect-with-others_1620555.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e6/bren-brown-280_belonging_we-are-hardwired-to-connect-with-others_1620555.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e6/bren-brown-280_belonging_we-are-hardwired-to-connect-with-others_1620555.jpg)

> “We are hardwired to connect with others, it's what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it there is suffering.”

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Human connection is innate; it supplies purpose, and its absence causes suffering.

**In simple terms:** We need connection for purpose; without it we suffer.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate meaningful relationships.

Themes

connection purpose humanity

Mood

empathetic reflective

Type

motivational philosophical

When to use this quote

- teamwork
- friendships
- family gatherings
- community events

Key Concepts

psychology social needs

Questions to Reflect On

- What relationships enrich your life?
- How do you handle loneliness constructively?

A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on connection can ignore solitude benefits.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Belonging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belonging/) [Daring greatly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daring-greatly/) [Empathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy/) [Gives Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gives-purpose-265301/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Lives Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lives-suffering-265302/) [Meaning Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning-lives/) [Our lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-lives/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Purpose and meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose-and-meaning/) [Purpose Meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose-meaning/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/)

## Related quotes

> [Connection gives purpose and meaning to our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/connection-gives-purpose-and-meaning-to-our-lives/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [Recovery is about purpose and meaning in life, not “sobriety” and meetings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanton-peele/recovery-is-about-purpose-and-meaning-in-life-not-sobriety-and/)

[Stanton Peele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanton-peele/)

> [Only Christianity and its teachings can explain the purpose and meaning of this world--and also gives the basis for right and wrong, good and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-ham/only-christianity-and-its-teachings-can-explain-the-purpose-and/)

[Ken Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-ham/)

> [Books had shown me, however, that all people everywhere wanted their lives to have purpose and meaning. This longing was universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/books-had-shown-me-however-that-all-people-everywhere-wanted-their-2/)

[Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/)

> [Love gives life purpose and meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/love-gives-life-purpose-and-meaning/)

[Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/)

> [It is a rare person who can pierce the veil between ordinarly life, consumed with matters of physical survival, and pursuit of the empowered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-myss/it-is-a-rare-person-who-can-pierce-the-veil-between-ordinarly-life/)

[Caroline Myss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-myss/)

> [Our lives are programmed at conception and are endowed with purpose and meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeane-dixon/our-lives-are-programmed-at-conception-and-are-endowed-with-purpose/)

[Jeane Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeane-dixon/)

> [A person of character seeks true happiness in living a life of purpose and meaning, placing a higher value on significance than success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-josephson/a-person-of-character-seeks-true-happiness-in-living-a-life-of/)

[Michael Josephson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-josephson/)

> [I can't even think of the right word, but it's not "help." It's more like a prerequisite. I think connection is why we're here,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-can-t-even-think-of-the-right-word-but-it-s-not-help-it-s-more-like/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [Connection is why we're here; it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives. The power that connection holds in our lives was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/connection-is-why-we-re-here-it-is-what-gives-purpose-and-meaning-to/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [Almost all people suffer some form of intense inner pain at some times in their lives. The suffering might be depression, anxiety, substance abuse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-c-hayes/almost-all-people-suffer-some-form-of-intense-inner-pain-at-some/)

[Steven C. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-c-hayes/)

> [As you look at many people's lives, you see that their suffering is in a way gratifying, for they are comfortable in it. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/as-you-look-at-many-people-s-lives-you-see-that-their-suffering-is-in/)

[Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/)

> [The cost in human lives and suffering is so high that we all have to work to end violence and oppression once and for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-mayor-zaragoza/the-cost-in-human-lives-and-suffering-is-so-high-that-we-all-have-to/)

[Federico Mayor Zaragoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-mayor-zaragoza/)

> [“we bring nothing with us from our former lives except suffering and delusions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsang-gyatso/we-bring-nothing-with-us-from-our-former-lives-except-suffering-and/)

[Kelsang Gyatso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsang-gyatso/)

> [Death remains about the one certain fact in the lives of each one of us, and there will be suffering, sorrow, and sadness next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/basil-hume/death-remains-about-the-one-certain-fact-in-the-lives-of-each-one-of/)

[Basil Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/basil-hume/)

## More by Brené Brown

> [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [“always put off writing by reorganizing my entire house and spending way too much time and money buying office supplies and organizing systems. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/always-put-off-writing-by-reorganizing-my-entire-house-and-spending/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [When you ask people about love, they tell you about heartbreak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/when-you-ask-people-about-love-they-tell-you-about-heartbreak/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [“I can recognize shame when it’s happening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-can-recognize-shame-when-it-s-happening/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [I carry a small sheet of paper in my wallet that has written on it the names of people whose opinions of me matter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-carry-a-small-sheet-of-paper-in-my-wallet-that-has-written-on-it/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/courage-starts-with-showing-up-and-letting-ourselves-be-seen/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [Waking up every day and loving someone who may or may not love us back, whose safety we can't ensure, who may stay in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/waking-up-every-day-and-loving-someone-who-may-or-may-not-love-us/)

[Brene Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [“No matter how separated we are by what we think and believe, we are part of the same spiritual story.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/no-matter-how-separated-we-are-by-what-we-think-and-believe-we-are/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [Perfectionism is self-destructive simply because there is no such thing as perfect. Perfection is an unattainable goal. Additionally, perfectionism is more about perception -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/perfectionism-is-self-destructive-simply-because-there-is-no-such/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [Shame corrodes the very part of us that believes we are capable of change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/shame-corrodes-the-very-part-of-us-that-believes-we-are-capable-of/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [If you're also in the arena and you're putting your ideas out and you're owning them and you're saying "I disagree with you about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/if-you-re-also-in-the-arena-and-you-re-putting-your-ideas-out-and-you/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [“I found that men and women with high levels of shame resilience share these four elements: They understand shame and recognize what messages and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-found-that-men-and-women-with-high-levels-of-shame-resilience-share/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [Connection gives purpose and meaning to our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/connection-gives-purpose-and-meaning-to-our-lives/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [“But here’s the tricky part about compassion and connecting: We can’t call just anyone. It’s not that simple. I have a lot of good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/but-here-s-the-tricky-part-about-compassion-and-connecting-we-can-t/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [“It turns out to be the place of true belonging, and it's the bravest and most sacred place you'll stand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/it-turns-out-to-be-the-place-of-true-belonging-and-it-s-the-bravest/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

[Explore all 759 Brené Brown quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

## More Belonging quotes

> [She might be without country, without nation, but inside her there was still a being that could exist and be free, that could simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-maas/she-might-be-without-country-without-nation-but-inside-her-there-was/)

[Sharon Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-maas/)

> [I always think the best way of motivating yourself is to put yourself in a situation where you feel like you're belonging to something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-jackson/i-always-think-the-best-way-of-motivating-yourself-is-to-put-yourself/)

[Colin Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-jackson/)

> [It is a well-settled principle of the international code that where one nation owes another a liquidated debt which it refuses or neglects to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-jackson/it-is-a-well-settled-principle-of-the-international-code-that-where/)

[Andrew Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-jackson/)

> [The region belonging to the pure intellect is straitened: the imagination labours to extend its territories, to give it room. She sweeps across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-region-belonging-to-the-pure-intellect-is-straitened-the/)

[George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/)

> [I am convinced that human nature is basically affectionate and good. If our behavior follows our kind and loving nature, immense benefits will result,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/i-am-convinced-that-human-nature-is-basically-affectionate-and-good/)

[Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/)

> [“The reason “belonging” was so potent, so attractive, so much a part of the human yearning, was that it also meant safety, and loyalty.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-penny/the-reason-belonging-was-so-potent-so-attractive-so-much-a-part-of/)

[Louise Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-penny/)

> [If some student belonging to weaker section of society suffers distress, humanity says it must be addressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arun-jaitley/if-some-student-belonging-to-weaker-section-of-society-suffers/)

[Arun Jaitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arun-jaitley/)

> [Connection gives purpose and meaning to our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/connection-gives-purpose-and-meaning-to-our-lives/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [My father was a man of great charity towards the poor, and compassion for the sick, and also for servants; so much so, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-father-was-a-man-of-great-charity-towards-the-poor-and-compassion/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Maybe the problem with the world is, that people are too quick to judge. And out of desperation, the loneliness creeps in like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/maybe-the-problem-with-the-world-is-that-people-are-too-quick-to/)

[Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/)

> [“It turns out to be the place of true belonging, and it's the bravest and most sacred place you'll stand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/it-turns-out-to-be-the-place-of-true-belonging-and-it-s-the-bravest/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

> [The hardest thing about being at Sony was not the travel; it was being divorced from the public and private life I had in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-stringer/the-hardest-thing-about-being-at-sony-was-not-the-travel-it-was-being/)

[Howard Stringer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-stringer/)

> [Whenever you are examining someone else's belongings, you are bound to learn many interesting things about the person of which you were not previously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whenever-you-are-examining-someone-else-s-belongings-you-are-bound-to/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“She isn't anybody's,' Rook said darkly. 'Son. she's not yours, either," Sarah Fleet said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaida-jones/she-isn-t-anybody-s-rook-said-darkly-son-she-s-not-yours-either-sarah/)

[Jaida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaida-jones/)

> [We have become this very fear-based culture, especially post-9/11. Fear is the opposite of love, in my opinion. I think there would be more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-have-become-this-very-fear-based-culture-especially-post-9-11-fear/)

[Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/)

[Browse all 876 Belonging quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belonging/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "We are hardwired to connect with others, it's what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it there is suffering.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Brené Brown"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-are-hardwired-to-connect-with-others-it-s-what-gives-purpose-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Belonging"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-are-hardwired-to-connect-with-others-it-s-what-gives-purpose-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e6/bren-brown-280_belonging_we-are-hardwired-to-connect-with-others_1620555.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e6/bren-brown-280_belonging_we-are-hardwired-to-connect-with-others_1620555.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e6/bren-brown-280_belonging_we-are-hardwired-to-connect-with-others_1620555.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We are hardwired to connect with others, it's what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it…” — Brené Brown",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Brené Brown",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "We are hardwired to connect with...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-are-hardwired-to-connect-with-others-it-s-what-gives-purpose-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-are-hardwired-to-connect-with-others-it-s-what-gives-purpose-and/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
