My purpose in life, so far as I can determine, is to let cat in, let cat out.

Life.

I'd like to leave the place a little nicer than it was when I got here, be a positive influence in individual lives and a good memory in individual hearts, maybe create a tiny piece of lasting beauty or knowledge--you know, all the usual stuff.

Hopefully to leave a wee mark somewhere. Not a big mark, but a wee one. Something that will make people smile whenever they see it.

I'm too sleepy to answer this question now, sorry, love.

The idea of Karma is a good one: what goes around comes around. I try to live according to that principle. So my goal is to increase the sum of human happiness in whatever small ways are within my power. Being openly nice to people instead of being reticent. Helping someone who is struggling to carry their shopping. It's not easy for someone of my naturally grumpy disposition. But I try.
As I get older, I can no longer believe that we are as important individually as we would like to believe. We're just human-shaped mammals who need to share the planet with all the other animals. So I try to be nice to animals as well (I help out with an animal rescue). I've had a good day if I can look back and reflect that at least I did not subtract from the global happiness-quotient.
Apart from that, goals sort of take care of themselves. I share the view of John Lennon who (among others) said: "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." You need something to aspire to, but that something need not be something earth-shattering. Just something that leaves you with a sense of achievement as it inches closer.

I've been looking for that Richard Pryor interview quote ALL DAY... to no avail.

It went something like this: We all have a gift, and our purpose in this life is to find out what it is and then use it to make other people happy.

My purpose in life was to comment in this thread.

I teach people to love.

I was sent here by the Galactic Overlords to observe humans in their natural state and to decide if humanity was fit to join the spacefaring races. Sorry guys, so far it's the whales, then the dolphins and well, quite frankly, you're not even on the list yet, but keep trying.

I was placed on this earth to achieve dominion over all men through bloody conquest.

You know, the usual.

I throw the tennis ball. Then it gets dropped at my feet, so I pick it up and throw it again. That, and filling the food and water dishes.

What's your purpose in life?

Truth? None. I exist due to a biological accident, and if anything I only exist to help perpetuate the species.

I'm pretty clueless lately; but I did pick up my EPA Universal cert for HVAC last week.

Heavy sweat seems to be a side-purpose lately.

Do what I can to enrich culture and community - especially of the homegrown, DIY, f2f variety - in my work, relationships, and personal projects.

What jonmc said.

I've saved several animals from an early death and I think that's pretty cool even though it probably doesn't mean much in the big picture. I'd love to do help animals on a bigger scale, but I doubt that will happen in this life.

In general I hope to make as much positive impact as possible and keep the negative to a minimum.

I've killed quite a few animals, and eaten a whole lot of animals that were killed for me. Compared to the acreage of grains and vegetables I've eaten, the amount I've planted or even the nutrients I've given back to the soil over my lifetime hasn't even measured.

I pushed people around a little when I was in my youth, but they get over it. I was cruel to an animal once. I was working in a pet store, and one parakeet was being really obstinate about going into the cage so i grabbed him and flung him like a stone at the back of the cage. He was uninjured but I'm still chilled by the shadow of remorse.

I like to tell people they're good at stuff. It's true, and people don't usually hear it. I'm vocally self-righteous and sometimes I abuse the power of truth, which is far worse than just fucking up. My friends are all larger than life to me. I listen very carefully.

To me growing older is all about learning more, getting smarter, more intelligent, wiser. I see the point of life as gathering knowledge and analyzing it, which is something we all do, alone and together. Adding to its aggregate, the body of all human history and knowledge, is the purpose of life.

do no harm.

I don't have a purpose. I have an oeuvre.

Scratching cats just under the chin.

Apparently I'm really good at it.

Writing.

Ooh! Me too pompomtom!

Maybe it has something to do with the almost matching cat tattoos we both have. Hmm.

To win.

Be excellent to each other.

To hear the lamentations of their women!

eaten a whole lot of animals that were killed for me

There is that as well. There's really no difference between cats & dogs and cows & pigs except that we find some cute and some tasty (or cute and tasty). If I liked more vegetables I'd easily become a vegetarian.