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Big purpose goals often lead to stress and disconnection instead of fulfillment.

Purpose anchors are everyday interests that can guide meaningful life activities.

Small, passion-driven climbs create a more sustainable and joyful sense of purpose.

Source: Stocksnap/Pixabay

Far too often, purpose in life feels scarce. We become enamored with a big, audacious version of purpose that can feel more overwhelming than inspiring. The higher our aspirations, the greater the potential for failure. Instead of running for local school board, we dream of becoming president, or at least a member of Congress.

While such dreams often earn high-fives and encouragement, the truth is that we have limited agency to reach those lofty goals. We have to be the right person, at the right time, saying the right things, and let’s not forget a healthy dose of luck.

The odds aren’t in our favor.

This version of purpose feels anything but abundant. We fall into a winner-takes-all mindset where success or failure are the only outcomes. Failure, of course, is far more likely. The result? A growing sense of anxiety and nihilism. Instead of purpose drawing us together, we’re seeing less social connection than ever before.

And the consequences are devastating.

A longitudinal global study (the Global Flourishing Study), which tracked over 200,000 adults aged 18–29 across 23 countries from 2022 to 2024, shows a flattened, or even J-shaped, well-being curve. Young adults report significantly lower levels of flourishing and a diminished sense of meaning or purpose compared to older generations.

But something magical happens when we let go of those big, goal-oriented dreams—what I call big-P purpose—and instead embrace little-p purpose, which is rooted in process rather than outcome. When we follow activities that light us up, we naturally become more attractive to others. Like moths to a flame, people with shared interests are drawn to us. They want to connect, collaborate, and grow together.

This is how purpose builds community. These interpersonal connections are essential ingredients for happiness, as highlighted in the Harvard Adult Development Study and other important research.

The good news is that discovering little-p purpose is both accessible and abundant. By identifying our purpose anchors (activities that energize and inspire us) we gain insight into what purpose can look like in our lives. Sometimes this means reflecting on regrets, recalling childhood joys, or simply experimenting through trial and error—the “spaghetti method.”

Yet it’s often the next step that trips people up. Once we’ve identified what lights us up, we face the daunting task of building a life around it. This is where many get stuck and caught in the grip of analysis paralysis. It’s the moment we must move from thought to action, from imagination to execution. We have to actually get off the couch and do something.

The Climb

This movement, from inspiration to action, is what I call the climb.

Climbs are the activities we pursue based on our purpose anchors. They are purpose in motion. Unlike big-P dreams, which are scarce and high-stakes, climbs are abundant, flexible, and attainable.

Take, for example, someone who grew up watching Formula 1 racing. They might believe their purpose is to become an F1 driver, a classic big-P dream. But the odds are long. You’d need elite skills, the right connections, financial backing, and extraordinary luck.

THE BASICS

That’s a dream of scarcity. Most people won’t make it.

But if you view Formula 1 as a purpose anchor, a world of possibility opens up. There are countless climbs available:

These are activities grounded in passion that don’t require a lottery-ticket outcome. They let you immerse yourself in what lights you up and build something real. Each one is a climb.

The key is to stop asking, What’s my one big purpose? Instead, listen for the small whispers, those interests and curiosities that excite you, and start building around them.

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Imagine a life full of these climbs. You’d spend more of your precious time doing things that energize and fulfill you. Because you’d be showing up as your most engaged and authentic self, you’d be more likely to connect with others who share your passions.

And those people? They become your community. Your collaborators. Your friends.

Purpose is not passive. It doesn’t come find you while you wait. It demands courage: the courage to take what you care about and turn it into something active, something meaningful. You build purpose through climbs.

So the real question is: Do you have a good pair of climbing shoes?

References

Volpe, A. (2025, May 28). Gen Z misery, explained in one chart: Young adults from around the world are struggling. Vox. https://www.vox.com/even-better/414509/gen-z-young-adults-flourishing-wellbeing

Solan, M. (2017, October 5). The secret to happiness? Here’s some advice from the longest-running study on happiness. Harvard Health Publishing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-secret-to-happiness-heres-some-…

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