Finding Your Purpose: Beyond the Reflection
Questions
Where is the fire I need to run toward?
How will I embrace pressure and use it to sharpen me?
What promise will I keep to myself?
What skill will I commit to improving this week?
Your purpose is waiting—beyond the mirror. Go chase it.
"Do not pray for an easy life; pray for the strength to endure a difficult one."
— Bruce Lee
Finding Your Purpose: Beyond the Reflection
"You'll never find your purpose while staring at a reflection in the mirror. Your purpose lies beyond yourself."
In business —and in life—we often seek meaning in the wrong places. We look inward, analyzing who we are, questioning if we have what it takes. Seems like every January 1st, every real estate agent I know asks, “Can I do it again?” We confuse what we do with who we are. But purpose isn’t found in stillness; it’s revealed in motion. If you want to build a thriving business, a life of impact, and a career that fuels you, you must step beyond self-reflection and into action. Making a difference and connecting our work with what it does for others creates purpose. Our EGO says what about me, while our quest for purpose asks what about them. Even Maslow, in his famous Hierarchy of Need s revealed how important relationships play in the journey towards self actualization. We’ll never become more until we think more about others.
Firefighters run towards the flame. Years ago, I heard a story about a firefighter who ran into a burning building to save a family trapped inside. When asked later if he was scared, he simply said, “Of course. But I ran toward the fire because that’s where I was needed.” Recently, Southern California was devastated by wildfires and we watch those brave souls charge the fires as that’s where they are needed.
That’s what purpose looks like. It’s not about waiting for the right moment, the perfect plan, or total confidence. It’s about stepping into the fire—into discomfort, challenge, and even fear—because that’s where transformation happens.
Running towards fire isn’t a natural act and yet you must run toward the fire—toward uncertainty, toward competition, toward challenges others shy away from. Because that’s where your growth and success lie. You don’t find your purpose by watching from the sidelines. You find it when you enter the game. You find purpose by creating meaning in what you do and the positive impact it has on others. Many years ago I sat in a sauna contemplating my next move in life. Tornadoes had recently devastated a local community and at that time selling real estate or coaching those who do didn’t seem to matter or be my highest purpose in the grand scheme of things. My coach reminded me that everyone is going through some kind of fire and storm and it’s our opportunity to help put out the flames and guide them through while remaining the calm in their storm. What we do is so much bigger if you will first allow yourself to think bigger about what it is that you do.
"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity."
— Albert Einstein
In The Saint, the Surfer, and the CEO, Robin Sharma explains a truth that many resist: Life always presents you with the lessons you need in order to grow.
In business, challenges can come in waves—deals that fall through, clients who test your patience, markets shift seemingly overnight. If you find yourself facing the same struggles over and over, it’s not because life is against you. It’s because there’s a lesson you haven’t yet learned.
Think about the hardest professional challenges you’ve faced. The setbacks, the deals lost at the last second, the moments of self-doubt. And yet, here you are—stronger, wiser, more resilient. That’s the gift of struggle: It refines you, sharpens you, and prepares you for the success that’s coming next.
Author Jesse Itzler says, “Pressure is a privilege.” And he’s right. Think about Michael Jordan in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. The weight of an entire city, a legacy, a championship—on his shoulders. Did he back down? No. He wanted the ball in his hands. The real estate industry is not for the faint of heart. You will face high-stakes negotiations, impossible deadlines, and clients who rely on you to guide them through life-changing decisions. Pressure weeds out the competition. It reveals who’s willing to step up and who’s going to shrink back.
But too much pressure without priority leads to burnout, just as too little leads to stagnation. The key is balance—embracing the challenge while staying rooted in your mission. You were built for this. You were made to handle the weight. Diamonds are formed under pressure, but only those who embrace it will shine.
Sharma also teaches that life is a mirror. The people, challenges, and circumstances we encounter reflect what we need to see within ourselves.
If you’re surrounded by chaos, maybe it’s a call to find inner peace. If you keep encountering difficult clients or deals, maybe there’s a lesson about patience, boundaries, or self-worth. If you feel lost in your career, maybe life is calling you to take ownership of your direction instead of waiting for clarity to magically appear.
Instead of resisting the challenges in front of you, ask:
What is this trying to teach me?
How can I grow from this?
What pattern do I need to break?
Because until we learn the lesson, life will keep repeating it.
Step Into Your Purpose
Success in life—isn’t about finding the perfect plan; it’s about stepping forward, learning as you go, and embracing the fire. Your purpose isn’t in the reflection staring back at you. It’s in the people you fight for, those you serve, the family you are building and the lessons you embrace along the way.The greatest achievements don’t come from self-reflection alone; they come from action.
You won’t find your purpose waiting for inspiration to strike. You’ll find it in the moments you push forward when others stop. You’ll find it in service, in taking risks, in stepping up when it would be easier to stay comfortable.
Like the firefighter who ran into the flames. Like Jordan demanding the ball in the final seconds.
So stop waiting. Step beyond the reflection. Step into action. Your purpose is waiting.
