Purpose = The result of a meaningful goal

Last week on the Stoke Seminar I walked through the 4-step framework that changed my life this past year.

Those four steps are to:

1. Consume consciously
2. Develop a vision
3. Create a goal
4. Act accordingly

As I thought more about it – I believe each of these steps deserves a deep dive of their own. There’s much more to unpack within each of these steps that one article simply can’t cover.

Naturally, I decided to start with “Step 2: Develop a vision.”

Let’s dive in.

​

Purpose: The Result of a Meaningful Goal

You can’t have a sense of purpose without something to work towards.

Most people don’t know what they want in life because they’ve been conditioned to think small and always choose the safe route.

We’ve been conditioned to:

• Go to school (and get good grades)
• Go to college (and get a degree)
• Get a good job (with a reputable company)
• Save money (and try to invest)
• Retire (…eventually)

If you don’t choose this path – you set yourself up for failure, embarrassment, or both.

Contrary to this popular belief, there’s a better way to go about life.

One that is:

• more fun
• more fulfilling
• more profitable
• more impactful
• more purposeful
• more sustainable
• and dare I say… more safe?

The sooner you realize that there is no “one way” to do anything, the sooner you begin to explore new curiosities.

Unless you dare to dream about living your “ideal” life, you’ll be stuck thinking small and pursuing someone else’s dreams.

You need a vision, a goal, and the belief that it’s actually attainable (because it is).

But you must start with what outcome you’d like to achieve before you can take the first step to get there.

You’d never plan a vacation without a destination in mind. You shouldn’t plan your life without one either.

​

The Danger of Having “Nowhere to Be”

In August of 2023, my wife and I set out for full-time living in our VW van.

We sold a lot of our belongings, packed the rest into storage, and condensed the bare necessities into our 35-year-old camper van.

A wild and crazy adventure followed over the course of the next seven weeks.

For the first few weeks of this trip, we enjoyed every minute of it. It was equally terrifying and liberating in its own unique way. I loved it.

But eventually – things took a turn.

I wasn’t sure what changed. The van was (somehow) still running well, we were visiting dozens of beautiful destinations, and we had nowhere to be.

What else could I ask for?

Little did I know – that was the blessing and the curse…

“We had nowhere to be.”

I used to think the “no schedule, no routine, no tasks” lifestyle was exactly what I needed.

I didn’t want to have anything on the docket. I felt like I needed a never-ending vacation.

But this is exactly what led to the ending of our “van life” era.

There was an inescapable futility to having no set agenda or plan.

Our van trip turned into a vacation without a destination. And it began to feel meaningless.

I needed a destination.

I needed something to work towards.

I needed a project that challenged me.

I needed “somewhere to be.”

I needed something to strive for.

​

A Roadmap for Daily Life

Ever since this “dream van trip,” I’ve looked at life through a new lens.

I needed to live a less-than-ideal lifestyle in order to appreciate a different one.

Without those seven weeks of having no schedule and no plans, I wouldn’t be able to appreciate a consistent routine.

Without realizing how meaningless a vacation without a destination is, I wouldn’t have learned to set big goals and appreciate the hard work it takes to get there.

This trip taught me about the importance of having that vision and destination in mind.

Without one, you’re simply floating along in life.

Without a set course, the winds of life will push you in other directions.

An effective way to set a “destination” to works towards, is to first set anti-goals.

Anti-goals are the enemy of your future.

What do you not want your life to look like?

• What do you not want your daily schedule to include?
• What do you not want to spend your time doing?
• What do you not want your health to be like?
• What do you not want your relationships to look like?
• What worries do you not want to have?

Take 5-10 minutes and write out your answers to these questions.

The goals that you can begin to strive towards are simply the opposites of these answers.

For me personally, it may look like this:

• I don’t want to be stressed about a job I hate. I don’t want to be rushed to attend that job each morning. I don’t want to be tired and upset after working that job each day.
• I don’t want to spend my time each day working towards something that isn’t meaningful to me.
• I don’t want to be overweight and out of shape.

And the list goes on…

Be specific and develop a sense of passion behind these answers. They will fuel you to live your life with purpose.

​

I said it last week and I’ll say it again…

“You can’t score without a goal.”

And you can’t seek your stoke without one either.

But with a specific mission in mind, you can roll out of bed each morning with excitement to face the day.

Go get it!

–Eric Pfohl