In the close-knit African American community where Eugene Lawrence Wright was born, everyone seems to have questions about his destiny, but no answers. Even Cousin Beulah, who sets him on the path in search of his destiny, left him confused. And, after her untimely death, his father, to whom he turned for clarity, only offers a warning: "The problem for most of us is not that we never find our destiny; it's just that we aren't prepared to fulfill it."

Eugene heeds his father's words and spends his life preparing to fulfill his destiny by committing himself to hard work and success. With an incredible intellect and a tireless work ethic, he is spectacularly successful, eventually climbing to the top of the career ladder of his profession.

Despite his success, Eugene refuses to accept his work as his destiny. Feeling unfilled by it and hampered in his ability to sustain a meaningful personal relationship because of his commitment to his work, he lives a life without joy. As he embarks on the next big move in his career, will he make it another episode in his fruitless chase or realize that he must fulfill himself before he can fulfill his destiny? Or will he be able to reconcile his personal and professional lives and finally claim the destiny that has always been within his grasp?