According to the philosophy in Chapter 8, what distinguishes a meaningful human life from a wasted one?

According to the teachings in Chapter 8, a meaningful human life is distinguished by the pursuit of self-realization, whereas a wasted one is spent on mere survival and sensory pleasures. The text posits that a true human being is "free, fearless, and independent," and that the "realization of the Eternal is the true success of birth." It contrasts this with a life focused only on activities like eating and sleeping, which it equates to the existence of animals like dogs or even inanimate objects like a blacksmith's bellows. Chapter 8 challenges one to ponder deep questions like "Where have we come from? Who are we?" and suggests that knowing the answer to this "seed" is what makes one proficient, without which all effort is just exhaustion.