In Barrett's story, Servants of the Map, Max is on an expedition in the mountains to help detail a map, or so would it seem. The real idea of this story is man's eternal search for purpose. If the map represents life, than Max, representing the common man, doesn't have a big impact on life, he is one of many who adds the details. This is similar to most people in life, who although make a contribution to this world, it isn't always the most noticeable. Max starts to question whether or not he has a purpose, or if his purpose is of any significance to this world -a universal thought.
Everyone questions whether or not their lives make a difference. We as humans are always evaluating ourselves, especially through comparison of other humans, their accomplishments, and their impacts on the world. Max reminds me in a way of George Bailey from It's a Wonderful Life, the impact of his actions are limited just as George Bailey's were limited to Bedford Falls. Although the impact of their lives doesn't extend very far, it does in fact make a difference on the people who matter most: their family and friends.
The cliche "to the world you are just one person, but to one person you could mean the world" is about as true as it gets. Both Max and George share disappointment in this cliche, but what they don't understand is that every action is limited. Even people who have an impact on thousands of lives have no bigger purpose than Max and George. It's the not the quantity of lives or people that you impact that matters, but the fact that an impact was made at all. To have a significant purpose in this world, you don't have to change everyone's lives, if you changed just one, that's better than good enough.
You don't have to search for purpose, you already are the purpose, go out and be it.
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