I want you to imagine a scenario that might terrify you.
Imagine that tomorrow morning, you wake up and it is all gone.
The business you built? Gone. Your job title? Gone. The team that looks up to you? Gone. The revenue, the accolades, the LinkedIn status? All of it, vanished.
Who are you now?
If that question makes your chest tighten, you are not alone. Most leaders I work with have accidentally welded their identity to their role. When you ask them who they are, they hand you a business card.
But your job title is not your purpose. It never was.
Purpose is the anchor that holds you steady when the role changes, the market crashes, or the season shifts. It is the only thing that allows you to navigate the storm without losing your soul.
Stop “Finding” and Start “Receiving”
The self-help industry has sold us a lie. They tell us that Purpose is a hidden treasure, like an Indiana Jones artifact, that we have to hunt for, hustle for, and discover.
But for the Faith-Driven Leader, purpose is not a treasure hunt. You are not lost.
Purpose is not something you find. It is something you receive.
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Ephesians 2:10
Look closely at that verse. The good works were prepared beforehand.
You do not have to invent your purpose. You do not have to manufacture meaning. You simply have to walk in what was already designed for you.
The 3 Layers of Purpose
One reason we get confused is that we think Purpose is one big, singular thing. But in the Superhuman Framework, we see Purpose as a three-layered reality.
Layer 1: Universal Purpose (The Foundation)
Why every human exists
This never changes. Regardless of your job, your health, or your location, you were made to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. You were made for relationship.
Check Yourself
If my business failed tomorrow, would my Universal Purpose change? (Hint: The answer is No).
Layer 2: Personal Purpose (The Fingerprint)
Your unique design
This is the intersection of your gifts, your story, and your burdens. No one else has your exact combination. This is how you specifically glorify God. Are you a builder? A healer? A teacher? A warrior?
Check Yourself
What is the one thing I do where time seems to disappear?
Layer 3: Seasonal Purpose (The Assignment)
Your current context
This is where most leaders get stuck. They think their “Purpose” is to be the CEO of Company X. No, that is just your current assignment. Seasons change. Purpose evolves. You can be just as purposeful in a season of rest or transition as you are in a season of high-growth.
Check Yourself
Am I clinging to an old season because I am afraid of the new assignment?
The Difference Between Purpose and Goals
We often confuse the destination with the compass.
Goals are where you are going. Purpose is why you are moving.
If you achieve a Goal without Purpose, you will feel empty. (We have all met the “successful” leader who is miserable).
If you have Purpose, you can miss a Goal and still be whole.
| Goals (The What) | Purpose (The Why) |
|---|---|
| Temporary | Eternal |
| Can be “completed” | Can never be finished |
| Dependent on circumstances | Dependent on identity |
| “I want to hit $10M revenue” | “I want to steward resources to bless families” |
Check Yourself
Are you chasing a number, or are you chasing a calling?
How to Discern Your Purpose (5 Questions)
If you feel like you have lost the thread of why you are doing this, sit with these five questions in your next quiet time.
1. What breaks your heart?
Your burden often reveals your calling.
2. What makes you come alive?
God rarely calls us to be miserable; He calls us to be effective.
3. What do others affirm in you?
Sometimes your community sees your gift before you do.
4. What doors keep opening?
Where is the favor flowing?
5. Where is the fruit?
Purpose always produces fruit, eventually.
Continue Your Journey
Frequently Asked Questions
Goals are specific, measurable outcomes you want to achieve. Purpose is the deeper reason behind why those goals matter. Goals change regularly; purpose remains relatively stable. You might have a goal to grow revenue by 20%, but your purpose might be to create meaningful work that transforms lives. Goals are the what; purpose is the why.
You are not alone. Many leaders feel this way. Start with what you do know: your universal purpose is to glorify God. From there, pay attention to what breaks your heart, what makes you come alive, and where you see fruit in your work. Purpose often becomes clearer through action, not just reflection. Take the next faithful step and trust that clarity will come.
Your core purpose typically stays consistent, but its expression can change dramatically through different seasons of life. The CEO season looks different from the startup founder season. The parent of young children expresses purpose differently than the empty nester. Think of purpose as a direction rather than a destination. The direction stays the same; the terrain changes.
First, recognize that purpose is bigger than your job title. You can live purposefully in any role. Second, look for meaning in how you do your work, not just what you do. Third, consider whether this season is temporary or whether God might be calling you to something different. Sometimes restlessness is an invitation to change; sometimes it is an invitation to find deeper meaning where you are.
Purpose flows from Love. When you know you are loved by God, you can receive the purpose He has for you without needing to earn it. Purpose fuels Passion, giving you a reason to stay engaged when things get hard. And Purpose sustains Persistence, providing the "why" that keeps you going when you want to quit. All four cornerstones work together.