Finding Your Purpose: Stop Searching and Start Building
By Derek — Money isn't complicated. People just make it complicated. ·
Look, I’ve sat across from a lot of people in my office over the last few years. Founders who just cashed out their first exit, guys making mid-six figures in tech, people who feel like they’re ‘winning’ on paper but look like they’re losing on the inside. They all come in here with the same question, usually after we’ve finished the boring stuff like tax optimization and asset allocation. They lean back, look at the ceiling, and ask me, “Derek, what’s the point? How do I find my purpose?”
I’m going to be real with you: the ‘purpose’ industry is a scam. It’s built on the idea that purpose is some hidden treasure chest buried in a jungle, and if you just read enough self-help books or go on enough meditation retreats, you’ll stumble upon it.
Spoiler alert: You won’t. Purpose isn’t something you find. It’s something you build. And frankly, people make it way more complicated than it needs to be.
The “Passion” Trap
We’ve been sold a lie that your purpose has to be your job. If you aren’t ‘passionate’ about your 9-to-5, you’re failing. If your startup isn’t changing the world, you’re wasting your time.
That’s garbage.
I love my work. I love helping people get their financial lives in order so they can go do whatever they actually care about. But is financial advisory my ‘soul’s purpose’? Maybe. But if I had to choose between helping a client rebalance their portfolio and watching McLaren chase a podium at Monza on a Sunday morning, I’m taking the F1 race every single time. And that’s okay.
Stop looking for a career that feels like a spiritual awakening. Look for a career that provides the capital, the time, and the mental bandwidth to pursue what actually lights you up.
Purpose is a Byproduct of Competence
Here’s a secret they don’t tell you: you find purpose in the things you are good at, not just the things you ‘love.’
When I was at Goldman, the hours were brutal. I didn’t ‘love’ the paperwork or the endless nights. But I got really, really good at understanding how capital moves. That competence gave me confidence. That confidence allowed me to leave and build my own practice. The ‘purpose’ I feel today comes from the freedom I earned because I mastered a skill set.
If you’re feeling lost, stop navel-gazing. Pick one thing—one skill, one craft, one area of your business—and become elite at it. When you get good at something, you become useful. When you become useful, you become in demand. When you’re in demand, you get options. And options? That’s where the real purpose lives.
The “F1 Approach” to Your Life
I watch F1 religiously. If you look at the best teams, they aren’t focused on the championship trophy every single morning when they walk into the factory. They’re focused on the marginal gains. How do we shave 0.05 seconds off this pit stop? How do we improve the downforce on this specific wing?
They find their purpose in the process, not just the result.
Most of you are treating your life like a sprint to a finish line that doesn’t exist. You think once you hit that million-dollar mark, or get that VP title, the ‘purpose’ will kick in. It won’t. You’ll just be a rich, title-holding person who is still bored.
Start finding purpose in the maintenance. Find it in the way you manage your calendar. Find it in the way you protect your energy. Find it in the way you show up for your family when the market is crashing and your stress is high.
Actionable Steps to Stop Spinning Your Wheels
If you want to stop the existential dread, stop thinking and start doing. Here is how you actually find your footing:
1. Audit your energy, not your time. Keep a log for three days. What makes you feel energized and capable? What makes you feel like you’re dying inside? That’s your compass. 2. Identify your ‘Unfair Advantage.’ What do people constantly ask you for help with? That’s a signal. You might think it’s easy or ‘no big deal,’ but if people are coming to you for it, that’s where your value lies. 3. Fund your experimentation. If you want to find your purpose, you need a runway. If you’re broke, you’re stuck in survival mode, and survival mode kills creativity. Get your finances automated, build your emergency fund, and clear the deck. When you aren’t worried about your next rent check, you have the space to figure out who you actually want to be.
Stop Waiting for Permission
You’re waiting for someone to hand you a map. Nobody has one. We’re all just making it up as we go along, using the tools we’ve gathered.
Stop overcomplicating it. You don’t need a ‘calling.’ You need a system that gives you the freedom to explore, and the competence to execute. Build the foundation, master the skill, and the purpose will reveal itself in the rearview mirror as you move forward.
Look, I know this sounds simple, but that’s because it is. Money is a tool, not the destination. If you’re stuck in the weeds and can’t see the forest, let’s talk. Drop a comment below or shoot me a message—let’s figure out how to get your finances in order so you can get back to building the life you actually want to live.
Stay sharp,
Derek