The Chase
I’ve been trying to figure out how to start this without sounding like I’m pointing fingers, mainly because I’ve chased some of this stuff too. So this is less a lecture, more a confession… with a lesson.
Let’s talk about the obsession with metrics: net worth, followers, job titles. Our modern survival game isn’t about finding food or avoiding saber-toothed tigers. It’s about landing the big deal, hitting the commission target, or affording the boat you may or may not actually want.
Sure, not everyone lives like this. Over 80% of Americans make under $150K a year. But thanks to social media, status is in your face 24/7. You’re no longer just keeping up with the Joneses. Now you’re trying to keep up with the trust fund kids flying private and casually launching tequila brands before noon.
So why do the ultra wealthy chase owning sports teams, personal brands, media companies, and political influence?
Because they want meaning. Relevance. Permanence. And hey, they’re not wrong… those things can provide all three. But will they bring fulfillment? And what did it cost to get there, time with friends? Your kid’s soccer games? Your happiness?
The Chase
Status is external. It’s about how you want to appear to others, not how you want to feel about yourself.
Power is fleeting. As Harvey Dent famously said in “The Dark Knight”: “You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”
Wealth can isolate. The more money you make, the smaller your peer group gets. If you are the top 1%, that means there is only 1% of people that you can relate to, or that can relate to you. The more wealth you build, the smaller that circle of peers gets, and you may not even like the people in that circle.
None of these, wealth, status, or power, guarantee joy, growth, or a sense of contribution. So what then sould we chase?
Purpose
Every great company has a mission. Why don’t you?
Your “why” isn’t about uncovering the meaning of life. It’s about uncovering the meaning of your life. What drives you? What energizes you? What would you do for free because you care that much?
To figure that out:
Look backward before you look forward. What moments made you feel truly alive? Fulfilled? Proud?
If you could change anything, what would it be? If you had unlimited time and money, what problem would you solve?
What’s your unique gift? What do people thank you for? What comes easy to you and hard to others? What makes you lose track of time?
Spoiler: Your purpose usually shows up in service to others. And it rarely arrives all at once, it gets clearer as you act, reflect, and repeat.
Growth
Growth is another word for change. And change usually feels uncomfortable.
Remember growing pains as a kid? Growth literally hurt. Same thing now, but it looks more like taking risks, trying things you might fail at, and not clinging to what you’re already good at.
If you never fail, you’re probably not growing.
If you only do what’s safe, you’re definitely not growing.
We need challenge. We need evolution. That’s how we expand our capacity and eventually…
Create Impact
To me, success comes from creating impactful change. Making people or places better than you found them. It’s not about polishing your legacy, it’s about living in a way that helps others rise.
That’s what makes life rich. Not the yacht (athough I wouldnt mind an invite). Not the blue check. Not the “Forbes 30 Under 30” plaque.
The more purpose you find and the more you grow, the more impact you’ll create. Ironically, that’s what often brings the influence and wealth people were chasing in the first place.
Mindset Shifts
So what needs to change?
Try these swaps:
“How do I get more?” → “How do I become more?”
“How do I look powerful?” → “How do I create value?”
“What will people think?” → “How do I build significance?”
Summary
Purpose. Growth. Impact.
Chase those three.
The rest might follow.
But either way, you’ll be fulfilled, and that’s worth more than any metric.
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