When I consider the infinite variety of human lives—the countless paths taken, choices made, and purposes pursued—I am struck by a common thread that seems to weave through the lives of those who appear most fulfilled. It is not wealth, nor fame, nor the approval of others that ultimately brings contentment, but rather a certain congruence between one's innermost convictions and one's outward actions. This harmony between belief and deed, what we might call living according to one's values, appears to me the most worthy pursuit for any thinking person. And yet, how devilishly difficult it proves in practice! For we are creatures not only of principle but of appetite, not only of reason but of passion, not only of steadfastness but of wavering.