Step 3.1: What’s Your WHY?
“Purpose. It’s that little flame that lights a fire under your ass. Purpose. It keeps you going like a car with a full tank of gas.”
-Avenue Q
What gets you out of bed every morning?
Life is f*cking hard. Anyone who tells you different is selling something, probably on Instagram. You know what's harder? Life without purpose.
But let's get real: purpose isn't some mystical bullsh*t you discover on a meditation retreat in Bali. It's the thing that makes you lift your head off the pillow at 5 AM when your body is screaming "just 5 more minutes."
Young people love to talk about "finding their purpose" while scrolling TikTok. Wrong direction, kids. Purpose isn't found – it's built, like muscle mass or a successful business. It's what you're willing to suffer for. Full stop.
Nietzsche said "He who has a why to life can bear with almost any how."
The old German was onto something. Companies get this. Nike doesn't exist to sell sneakers – they exist to celebrate human achievement. Apple doesn't make phones – they empower creativity and innovation. Tesla isn't about cars – it's about accelerating sustainable transport.
The data is clear: Companies with a clear purpose outperform the S&P 500 by 400%. Why? Because purpose creates resilience. When the market tanks or a competitor emerges, purpose-driven companies don't just survive – they adapt and overcome.
The same applies to you. Your purpose – your WHY – isn't your job title or where you got your MBA. It's the impact you want to have. The dent you want to make in the universe. The problem you're uniquely positioned to solve.
Here's the thing: Most people never figure this out. They spend their careers climbing ladders leaned against the wrong walls. They optimize for individual compensation instead of contribution to the world. They chase other people's definitions of success.
The hard truth? Your purpose might not make you rich. But it will make you wealthy in the only currency that matters long-term: meaning. And happiness.
Your Playbook - ask yourself:
What pisses you off enough to spend your life fixing it?
What contribution would make your 80-year-old self proud? What would you do even if you never got credit for it
Why are you here?
That's your purpose. That's your WHY.
The kicker? Once you figure it out, the real work begins. Because purpose without action is just a motivational quote. It feels good to say it, but doesn't create or change anything.