Build Real Purpose : A New Story

There is nothing more powerful than a person with real purpose. So many success stories we know are born of a person relentlessly chasing a single goal. Sometimes it was a way out, sometimes it was something that felt like destiny, but its pull, its energy, and its positivity are unmatched.

I’ve felt this many times in my life. The times I have felt “tired” can often be reframed as “I was lacking purpose.” Workouts can become labored, actions half-hearted, words shallow. You feel like you are going through the motions and just saying what needs to be said, without conviction in your voice or your heart.

When you reconnect with purpose, the fires light, the fog fades, and you feel awake. Awake in a way that no artificial stimulant can match. And it won’t always come easy. It can be both a light-bulb moment or require a deep search. I’ve experienced both.

What are you really trying to do, and what’s the best way to get there? These are really the questions. Not all purpose is “the big one.” It is as simple as signing up for a run or an event that gives you something to train for. It can be committing to a book that gives you something to write for. It can be committing to learning a new instrument that gives you something to play for. It can be building something for your kids because you know it will bring joy to their faces.

For some of us, maybe it is “the big one.” The “what do I want to do with the time I have left” question shines like an absolute light. Rather than being “time running out,” it must be “I have to live as much as possible.” It’s your North Star. The thing you must always come back to, no matter the clouds.

Purpose is also a strong reason to give up things that aren’t working for you. Smoking, drinking, bad relationships, bad foods… if we make these enemies of our purpose, then they become less significant, less important, less addictive, and easier to sacrifice. When you are running a strong race, you want to remove as many hurdles as possible.

At the start of the year, I encourage you to redefine your purpose. It doesn’t matter if it’s short-term or long-term; it just has to be the tank into which you can pour fuel. It has to excite you, ignite you. It’s powerful enough to save you from negative thoughts; it’s deep enough to matter more than the alternatives that can suck up your time.

Make 2026 the year you build real purpose. Your actions will be stronger, your mind will be clearer, you’ll procrastinate less, and you’ll move with the conviction that only a fixed compass can provide. Remember, this is your life. You are the main character, and it will only happen once. The world will try to distract you, to stall you, to drown you in dismay. You can’t let it. You won’t let it. You are a person with purpose—untouchable, unbeatable. That’s your new story.