Choosing Purpose in Hard Times
“Be able to see that things are hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise.”
There’s a pandemic of misplaced purpose and self-judgment that infects the mind during hard times, eroding hope and fostering despair. Don’t buy into this illusion that makes you a victim of circumstances. If you do, it will leave you hopeless, praying for luck and good fortune instead of returning to what truly works: the sweat of your own brow. The discipline of showing up, chopping wood, carrying water, and moving the measuring stick forward, the things that have worked for you when creating forward progress.
It’s often in the darkest moments that the endeavour of what matters most shines brightest. The human experience is defined in trials and tribulations, yet too many waste these opportunities by wallowing in despair or clinging to regrets. You wouldn’t teach the next generation to bet it all on black in a game of roulette, so why gamble your life on chance? Great businesses, bodies, relationships, and lives aren’t built on luck, they’re forged by choice and deliberate action.
Imagine a society, a business, or a family where no one takes responsibility for their choices, where accountability is replaced by entitlement. It’s a recipe for mediocrity and bringing in more chaos around you. Life is uncertain, and the only constants are change and transformation. Yesterday’s beliefs and skills may not serve tomorrow’s challenges. Face what worked and didn’t work, face the reality of why so you can understand it and evolve from it.
Choosing to do nothing is still a choice, and you’ll pay for it either way. Instead, bet on yourself. Build yourself up one step at a time: one walk, one meal, one dollar, one hour, one day. You’re human, and hard times don’t belong to you alone. You’re special, but not that special. You’re also not to blame for everything, so don’t take blame for everything either. Movement creates momentum, and disciplined, consistent action, will propel you forward. So don’t underestimate the power of simple baby steps in the direction you desire no matter how mediocre the task.
A purpose-built life isn’t the product of circumstance. A fulfilling and meaningful life, and business is the result of conscious choices and disciplined action. It’s about doing hard things in hard times and continuing with consistency. A regular cadence, not a lot today and nothing tomorrow. The boring routines, tasks, chores that great profound and lasting transformation.
Even on your worst day, you have a choice. Confidence isn’t granted; it’s forged through your internal capacity and capabilities. Since life offers no guarantees, take a deep breath and get back to the satisfaction of doing the work and being on the journey, as you know better than anyone, what you got you here, won’t get you there.
At some point, you’ll face the unimaginable: sickness, disease, accidents, earthquakes, fires, bankruptcy, divorce, financial struggles, or even war. You’ll feel burnt out, scared, and tempted to escape into the altered state economy, seeking quick fixes to numb the body and mind through food, sex, drugs, alcohol, digital distractions, or even psychedelics in the name of “spiritual awakening.” You’ll be tempted and tested and just because the government allows it doesn’t mean it’s healthy or for you. They allow gambling, sugar, alcohol, marijuana, safe injection sites etc. Don’t confuse financial opportunities for someone else as solutions for you. Nothing of the sense will satisfy the soul, and you know the power of facing challenges and turning them into opportunities for growth.
You’ll be tempted to abandon your cause and succumb to the challenges of the moment. But will you double down on what matters most? Will you clarify your values and priorities to see how your experiences are designed to help you evolve? To find the blessing hidden away in the stress of the situation.
When it’s all said and done, will you be able to say with certainty and confidence that you did everything you could with what you had? Or will you accept mediocrity, blaming circumstances for your lack of progress?
The truth is, your face will get marred, and you will take hits. Those who live purpose-built lives understand this. They live by their own values and priorities, aligning their actions with what matters most. Profitability, meaning, and fulfillment follow when you create value and become valuable, when you commit to service and do useful things consistently. That’s not just for others, but that applies to taking care of yourself. Will you take actions today that tomorrow's you will thank you?
Don’t imprison your mind with temporary setbacks or difficult circumstances. Don’t compare yourself to others or cling to unrealistic expectations that create fantasies and nightmares. Don’t live and die by chance, wishing on luck. And don’t act like you have thousands of years to live and figure it out.
Dust yourself off. Surround yourself with inspiring people, opportunities, and things that bring vitality to your life. Then, tackle the hard things. The mind is both the most powerful and fragile tool in the universe, and you have the choice to design and execute a purpose-built life and business.
At the essence of living a purpose-built life + business is not sinking into deep despair or buying into deluded positive thinking or blind optimism. Those will shrink you, but you're designed to evolve. Maximum growth comes from walking the fine line between comfort and discomfort. Have faith that the feedback you're receiving is exactly what you need to navigate this part of the journey. Confront the facts for what they are. This will become a defining chapter of your life, one that, looking back, you wouldn’t trade away. Hold unwavering faith that you’ll gain the lessons needed to expand your awareness and consciousness, experiencing everything required for your personal and professional evolution.
Control what you can by doing what you can. Simplify, and get back to the basics one baby step at a time. This is beautifully captured in the motto Leonardo da Vinci lived by, Ostinato Rigore, "persistent rigor"
“Discipline is choosing between what you want now,
and what you want most.”
