This is a topic I think about quite regularly, so I think it is safe to say I don't have it all figured out. But the one belief I've come to is that we do ours

This is a topic I think about quite regularly, so I think it is safe to say I don't have it all figured out. But the one belief I've come to is that we do ourselves a disservice when we fall pray to the idea that the universe has some purpose for us. In reality, we are just animals like the all the rest, just more intelligent. We don't believe that there is some grand purpose behind the squirrels you see in your yard, and it is hard to imagine they put much thought into it either. Instead, if we look at our lives as just one thread of existence among all the others, it takes a lot of the pressure off of us having to live some preordained path. Instead, we can choose our own path and follow wherever our interests and experiences bring us. Of course, being biological creatures, there is always our internal "purpose" of continuing the human race. Whether that is through having kids, ensuring our environment isn't going to be uninhabitable in a few generations, or the propagation of our species beyond our planet, there are things we can all do towards this end (with wildly differing degrees of challenge admittedly). But these are the purposes we all share to some degree. But beyond that, your life is yours to live as you wish. Find the things that you are drawn to and where spending hours on it feels effortless and you'll be on your way to a good life. I think the big temptation that many of us face, in big part due to our environments, is the belief that we need to become wealthy to live a good and purposeful life. In some cases the purpose you decide upon will naturally, and conveniently, lead towards the acquisition of wealth. But for most it will not. And pursuing wealth when you could be pursuing the things you actually want to spend your time (your most valuable resource) on is often a mistake.