Well, motivation may not always be arbitrary - particularly if driven by natural instincts (or an external influence).

With that being said, if you feel you're actions may determine a future event (like the apocalypse) and so decide to base your actions according to how would influence this event... then yes this can be argued to be an arbitrary motivation.

but instincts are just as arbitrary as values

Thank you all for contributing. I won't try to address individual points (unless if you want me to).

I hope you dont mind however, me asking from a different angle... but is there anything you'd like to be known for - At the very least, you'd be glad people saw [i]that[/] in you?

Overall, I think I'm asking about core values, or even a kind an honour code you follow - ones for which you might be disappointed with yourself if your life actions overall contradicted.

Even in regards to this forum, this maybe an impression that makes fellow SAS forum members think "this person deserves better in life than how life currently seems to be treating them".

Focus on how to solve a problem, rather than whining at the unfairness for the problem to have befallen on you in hopes someone will see the distress of your whining and swoop in themselves to solve the problem for you themselves.

For some, things will just keep throwing you down and endlessly keep on kicking you as you're down no matter what. And you just to have fight your way to stand back up, and in turn punch down at whatever is throwing you down and keep kicking you when you're down to make sure it stays down. And do the same at each gradual thing that comes along that does the same to you.

Focus on yourself in how you progress gradually, rather than how your progress strictly measures up to the progress of others. (Although this probably doesn't apply in the harsh reality that your own progress is strictly dependent and can be obstructed if your progress is in competition with that in relative of others. The real world just plain sucks).