In high school studying latin, we were learning well-known sentences. One was “Navigare necesse est, vivere non est necesse” translated would be To sail is necessary, to live is not necessary. Not knowing the history* it made no sense for someone born in the inlands of north Sweden not seeing the sea until grown up. During many years trying to understand, my interpretation was that the importance of the act (of sailing). To be so obsessed with the acting that everything else loses its meaning.
There is a special kind of obsession you can meet among tattooed and pierced people who will cover more and more of their bodies with tattoos and holes.
We have a need of changing ourselves not only to be beautiful – but also to show that we are rich, dangerous, powerful, energetic, intelligent, aware etc.
But being in this act, seeing the change, can be a strong motivation.

*History was not included in the latin studies. Much later I found out the background to this quote made of Pompeijus. I like my interpretation much better.