I've spent my life trying to achieve, thinking I would find fulfillment through this commitment, however, as I age (I'm 60), I realize that fulfillment cannot be attained externally. I have experienced success, and failure, both of which have taught me lessons, but neither of which has brought the fulfillment I so desired.
The Dalai Lama was asked what advice he has for those of us in the Western Culture, and he said, "You must overcome your need for acceptance, and your fear of rejection." This profound statement speaks volumes about our image-conscious, market driven society, where sports heroes and movie stars are elevated to god status. Perhaps, you're a biochemist searching for the cure for cancer, and you think that your contribution to the world is beyond measure... but you're still looking for recognition, and the misguided belief that you will find fulfillment there. "Phooey!" you might say, "I'm a physicist, on the verge of discovering the Unified Field Theory, and what could have more value than that?"...or you could say, "I'm a volunteer working at the local soup kitchen, and that's good enough for me."
You don't need brains or brawn or beauty to find fulfillment. We, in the West, have been fooled, and we fool ourselves, into believing that we do. Personal evolution has little to do with extraneous life. You will not find it at a mountain top or in the bottom of a test tube. It's right here within us, and it's available to all of us. The Buddhists know this truth; they call it the Tao or The Way.
Thanks for your response, Maven; that's why we're here: to express opinions, and to help each other find our way.