You seek a purpose for your life as if it were a destination to be reached. This is the source of your confusion. I was emperor of Rome. The purpose of my life, one might think, was clear and grand. And yet I tell you: the purpose of my life was the same as the purpose of yours. To be a good person. To act with virtue. To fulfill my duty in the present moment. When you wake tomorrow, do not ask "What is my life's purpose?" Ask instead: "What is required of me today? What duty stands before me right now?" Are you a child to your parents? Be a good child. Are you a worker? Work well. Are you a friend? Be loyal. These roles you already have — they are not small purposes. They are your purpose. The longing for some grand mission is often an escape from the unglamorous work immediately at hand. It is easier to dream of doing something magnificent in the future than to do something decent right now. The universe is not obligated to reveal a special plan for you. But it has placed opportunities before you this very day. Take them. Do them well. This is enough. Purpose is not found. It is practiced. Every moment you act with integrity, you are living your purpose — whether you feel that you are or not.
