We all crave purpose, but also have both long and short-lived desires.
What am I here for, anyway? And why can’t I have that, now?
It seems like passion is the moral, and purpose is the ethic.
Do not let morals get in the way of ethics.
The point is this: Chase after your purpose, not your passion.
What humans require in our ascent is purpose and realism. Purpose, you could say, is like passion with boundaries. Realism is detachment and perspective.
-Ryan Holiday, Ego Is The Enemy (Amazon)
Some old guy bought us a drink. He was alone and full of talk. “You boys are damn young,” he said, “so I just hope your generation is better than mine. My generation has done nothing. We did not survive a depression or win a war, we did not lose a war or go on pilgrimage, we did not immigrate or emigrate. Our lives have been just a collection of aimless conversations in smoky bars.” He thought for a moment, then said, “Just like this one.”
-Rich Cohen, Lake Effect (Amazon)