I’ve been thinking about purpose again.

Not in the way we’re taught to—through titles or job descriptions.

But in the quiet, more honest way. The way it shows up is through pain, pause, and starting over.

Because if you’re like me, you’ve probably tried a few different treadmills by now:

Corporate roles. Startups. Coaching. Freelancing.

And still wondered, “Why doesn’t this feel right yet?”

The truth? You might be solving for the wrong thing.

Not because you’re wrong.

But because no one ever taught us how to listen deeper than the surface.

No one told us that purpose isn’t something you do—it’s something you become.

The Myth of the Dream Job

We grow up believing in “the one.”

The one company. The one title. The one field we’ll love forever.

But here’s the thing—doing work you love inside a system that doesn’t honor you will still burn you out.

I’ve had “dream” roles before.

Startups. Big tech. Impact-driven work. Coaching.

But loving the work doesn’t always mean loving the system around it.

Sometimes you’re doing your passion.

But inside someone else’s box.

And no matter how well-designed the box is, it’s still a box.

The Problem With the Treadmill

People love to say, “Quit your 9 to 5!”

“Start a business!”

“Just do what you love and the money will follow.”

But if you’re still carrying the same patterns—the overthinking, the people-pleasing, the self-doubt—you’re just jumping from one treadmill to another.

I know people who left Google to raise venture capital and burned out in 12 months.

I know solopreneurs making passive income who are silently depressed.

I know creators who made it to 100K+ followers but feel stuck inside their own algorithm.

It’s not what you do—it’s how you do it.

The energy you bring.

The boundaries you hold.

The systems you build around your values.

Finding Flow Requires a Series of Small Decisions

People think finding purpose means quitting your job and launching something huge.

But often, it’s smaller than that.

It’s the decision to listen when something doesn’t feel aligned.

It’s letting go of the dream job that no longer fits.

It’s the courage to try something new—even if it’s uncomfortable.

Over time, those small decisions start to shape you.

That’s where alignment lives.

Not in the title.

But in the tiny yes’s and no’s you practice every day.

The Real Practice: Learning to Move With Intention

For me, this looks like movement and structure in tandem.

Sometimes I work 12-hour days in a creative tunnel.

Other times, I walk for hours, journal, listen to audiobooks, or just sit in silence.

Both are part of the process.

My best ideas come while hiking.

Not while forcing productivity at a desk.

That’s how I practice deliberately.

By following the rhythm—not the rules.

Dharma vs. Duty

What if your job is just keeping you alive?

What if your responsibilities feel too heavy to change anything?

I get it.

You can’t always quit.

You have people relying on you.

You have bills. You have a past that told you to play it safe.

But that little voice inside—the one whispering that you’re meant for something different?

It won’t go away.

Even if your current life is working “on paper,”

It’ll keep tugging until you answer.

And when the path you thought was the easy one starts to feel unbearable,

That’s a signal.

You don’t have to blow up your life.

But you do have to listen.

Purpose Is Not a Personality

It’s not “mom.”

It’s not “PM.”

It’s not “coach” or “founder” or “artist.”

Those are roles.

Your purpose is deeper than that.

It’s the way you’re wired to contribute to others.

It’s the energy you bring to the world.

It’s the message your life speaks.

And that purpose matures over time.

It reveals itself in layers.

It doesn’t come with a deadline or a launch date.

Ask Better Questions

Instead of “What should I be doing with my life?”

Try asking:

• What are the environments where I feel most alive?
• What is the pain I’m here to transform?
• What is the tension I’m here to walk others through?
• What problems do I find myself solving over and over again?
• What kind of contribution feels like love, not sacrifice?

Create the Right Conditions

You can’t force your purpose out of you.

But you can set up your life so that it has space to come through.

That means nature. Silence. Supportive people.

Less digital noise. More moments where you feel real.

➡️ That means letting your life reflect your values.

➡️ Saying no more often.

➡️ Sitting with the discomfort of not knowing.

Your purpose doesn’t arrive when you finally feel ready.

It emerges when you’re willing to stop pretending.

And If You’re Still in Doubt…

It’s okay to feel lost.

To feel like your current path is crumbling.

To wonder if you’ve made all the wrong choices.

You haven’t.

This is what awakening feels like.

Messy. Tender. Brave.

You’re not too late.

You’re just waking up.

Final Notes From the Journey

• You are allowed to pivot. Not once. But many times.
• You can be successful and still want something different.
• You can care about money and also care about meaning.
• You can walk away from something that looks good to build something that feels good.
• You don’t need to be the best. Just be real.

This isn’t a blueprint.

This is a becoming.

And your job?

To keep becoming more of who you are—on purpose.