Finding Purpose

By Erick De Souza

November 7, 2026

Dear Reader,

If you are feeling stuck, purposeless, or can't quite put your finger on what's wrong with your life — but something just doesn't feel right, and you feel you were made for more — I have good news for you. You may already be on a journey that many would like to be on. That is a path that can lead you to your purpose.

For a long time I dreamed, planned, and at times achieved them. But I got to a point in my life where, even though things were not going wrong — I mean, I had problems and challenges like everyone else, but nothing major — I felt like there was something missing.

I remember having four jobs, and I was actually doing okay financially. Many people looked at me and thought I was making a lot of money, and some might have thought that I was more successful than I actually was. But overall, I wasn't making as much as I needed. But how much is needed? How much is enough?

What was happening was that I had big dreams and expectations, and reality was so far from them. I heard Morgan Housel, the bestselling author of The Psychology of Money, say something that stayed with me: "Everything between your expectations and reality is frustration." I couldn't understand where that frustration was coming from.

Until I figured out that my only objective was to make more money, to do and to acquire more things. And there is no emptier life than just living for what is perishable. I know that for us as heads of household, we want to provide some security for the family, but even that can take our whole lives and swallow them up, and we end up living a life just to pay bills, buy more things, and do the things we want. Our daily lives can become an endless loop, like a dog running after its tail or a mouse on a running wheel.

That left me feeling frustrated. So I started asking myself what was missing. It took time, but I realized there was a sense of purpose missing. I was doing so much at work, and even giving some of my time volunteering in ministry. Then I realized most things I did were for me and my family — but that was as big as my world could get. And everything else I did — even volunteering in ministry — I was still expecting some type of reward from God. Even as a husband and a father, trying to provide and give security, there was an immense sense of pride there, more than purpose anyway. After years I realized my goal was simply to work until I could stop working. But the truth is that if you work for retirement, you don't work for a purpose.

Then I started going after my purpose. Quite frankly, I am still on that journey. And I've been learning that people's purpose usually benefits others more than it benefits themselves. It has to do with a greater cause than just their own lives or their families.

So, what is my purpose? I don't quite have the full answer yet. And if you feel at this moment that you were made for more, we are on this journey together.

I feel strongly that writing this morning, with the pleasure and privilege of possibly helping you the reader, my purpose is being fulfilled.

I'll leave you with these three practical steps that will help you in this journey:

Try to look for the beauty and wealth in the things that money can't buy.
Remove yourself from the center of your life.
Serve others without expecting acknowledgement or any other type of reward.

God Is Love!

Erick De Souza

Erick De Souza
Writer, Your Purpose Daily