I used to think chasing your purpose was the ultimate noble path.
Like if you’re doing something big — something meaningful — then people would understand if you disappeared, made mistakes, or didn’t always show up the way they needed.
I thought the mission justified the sacrifice.
But over time, I realized… the people are the mission too.
And somewhere along the way — in the grind, the vision, the becoming — I hurt people I cared about.
Not intentionally. But it still happened.
And now, I want to talk about it.
The Truth About Purpose: It Can Create Blind Spots
When you’re on a mission, it’s easy to develop tunnel vision.
You get so locked into the dream that everything else starts to blur. The phone calls you didn’t return. The time you didn’t make. The words you said in stress that landed harder than you meant. Or the silence when someone needed you to show up.
You think to yourself, “I’ll make it up to them later.”
But later doesn’t always come.
And the damage doesn’t wait.
Purpose is beautiful. It gives life direction.
But when it’s not balanced with emotional awareness, it can start to bulldoze over the very people you love — the ones who believed in you before the dream had a name.
I Was So Focused on Getting There — I Forgot Who I Was Hurting Along the Way
I’ve left messages on read.
I’ve said I was too busy.
I’ve gone ghost when the pressure felt too big and I didn’t know how to talk about it.
And I justified it all under the banner of “grind now, heal later.”
But the truth is — the grind without grace ain’t worth it.
No vision is worth losing your integrity.
No calling is worth leaving people in the wreckage.
This Is About Realignment
This isn’t about dwelling on the past — it’s about learning from it.
It’s about recognizing where I got off track and choosing to move differently now.
There were moments I didn’t handle right. Times I missed what mattered most.
But I see it clearer these days — and that clarity is calling me to show up better.
Not “later.”
Not “when everything settles.”
Now.
Real growth doesn’t wait for the perfect moment — it begins the second you decide to course-correct.
So Here’s What I’m Doing Differently
- I’m slowing down. No more rushing through life in the name of productivity while relationships suffer in the background.
- I’m checking in — on others and myself. Being emotionally available isn’t a luxury; it’s a responsibility.
- I’m listening, even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard.
- I’m making space for apologies that don’t come with excuses.
- And I’m building a future where no one gets left behind in the name of “success.
Purpose Isn’t Just What You Build — It’s Who You Build It With
This nonprofit… this movement… this mission I’m so passionate about — it’s not just about changing the world. It’s about healing the space between people. It’s about proving that you can go after something big without breaking everything around you.
And if I’ve hurt you along the way — if you’re someone who felt unseen or abandoned while I was busy “becoming” — I see you now.
You mattered then. You still matter now.
And I’m committed to doing better.
To Anyone Reading This: You Can Still Make It Right
If you’ve hurt people while chasing something bigger than yourself, you’re not alone.
But don’t wait until the story has a happy ending to try and make amends.
Start where you are.
Apologize if you can.
Change how you move if you can’t.
Let your growth speak louder than your guilt.
