Why is it so hard to pursue your dream job, and is it okay to just settle for something else?

Is it possible to feel objectively significant in the universe without believing in a God who set everything in motion just for us? How do people find significance otherwise?
Is it a good idea if the United States takes and holds the islands of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs in the Strait of Hormuz in the interest of global safety and commerce?