Stories & Lessons for Finding Your Purpose

Below you’ll find the stories and lessons of some of the best and brightest entrepreneurs, artists and creatives in the community and how they found their purpose.

Tracy DeJarnett

I love this question. At an early age I sensed there was more than what we could see, feel or touch. On many occasions I felt compelled to do something, like there was a force greater than me guiding my steps. That was definitely the case with music. In 2017 I felt compelled to start a music festival and my intention, or purpose, was to bring people together at a time when the world seemed to be divided and crumbling. Read more>>

Ashley Owens

I found my purpose through a mix of personal experiences and professional exploration. Early in my career, I noticed how powerful genuine connections were in shaping not only my own path but also the careers and businesses of those around me. This realization sparked a passion for helping others succeed through effective networking. Read more>>

Seema Krish

I’ve been interested in art and design from a young age. From the first time I was exposed to fiber and textiles – I was hooked! Early in my career, I worked with the Indian government on craft development projects in rural villages with small craft and artisan clusters. Read more>>

Derek De Vette

It began with music. By age twelve, my first mentor was famous jazz bassist, Stanley Clarke. An unbelievably gracious individual. He was my then hero and took on this gawky little redheaded kid, gave me bass lessons, got me my first guitar, and attended my debut performance. Read more>>

cozcon

The truth is, I lose sight of my purpose all the time! Artists are often met with this indictment of their utility in the world. It’s so easy to reduce art to this silly garnish we can take or leave, but the truth is art is imperative when it comes to the collective evolution of humanity. Read more>>

Gemma Aguayo-Murphy

Coming to the U.S. was a great sacrifice for my parents, yet they actively kept our extraordinarily rich Mexican culture alive in our upbringing. It all started with them. Through their own love and dedication to their roots, they instilled in me a deep passion for my Mexican background. Read more>>

Monica Leigh Rodriquez

Retrospectively, I discovered my purpose thinking back upon the time when I was a kid about 7 or 8 years old. At that time, I was the youngest of a large family. Demands were high for my parents, running a household, working a lot to keep us in a good house. I wasn’t the happiest kid, but I was creative and pensive. Read more>>

Genesis Moreno

I strongly believe that we are all born with a purpose and a mission to fulfill in this lifetime. However, I also believe that the speed at which we discover it and feel confident to embody it depends on our upbringing, environment, circumstances, and social influence. Read more>>

Nevaeh Cummings

At a very young age, I knew that I loved helping and teaching people and I wanted to make an impact on others even if it was something small. At such a young age I was already on a journey to find out who I was, what I wanted to be, and what purpose on this earth would be, until I began to find my purpose was teaching.  Read more>>

Bridget Pritchard

I found my purpose in PAIN. It wasn’t until life begin to happen tragedy after tragedy. 2004 my mother was in accident that left her paralyzed. Then August 2005 I loss of my grandmother followed by sudden loss of my father, and then having my baby boy. I went through loss after loss. It wasn’t until I became aware of who I was in Christ and fully surrendering to the process of healing and becoming I simply lived a life without purpose. Read more>>

Ameil Medford

Finding my purpose was a challenge. For years I never knew exactly what my purpose was, I always wanted to be a paediatric doctor, that path then changed into me becoming a teacher, that path then changed into me becoming a model, then that change into me becoming a therapist, a journey that I am still on but I would say that my purpose is and was always to be in the creative field. Read more>>

Tanya Stinson, LSSMBB, MHQS, MCBA, CRP

I always knew in my heart that I was destined to help people, I just did not know how. A lot of my family were either in law enforcement or in healthcare, so I made the decision that I wanted to get into law enforcement and continue the family tradition. I went to school to be a peace officer, with the long term goal of working in Forensics for the FBI.  Read more>>

Rekha Menon

Finding my purpose as an artist wasn’t an epiphany that struck me overnight. Instead, it was a gradual unveiling, a series of discoveries and rediscoveries shaped by life experiences, passion, emotions, navigating personal tragedies, and the world around me. It was a deeply personal and evolving journey, to say the least. Read more>>

Jenny Dayco

I think there can be things you innately are predisposed to know, and things that have to be told to you. A very long time ago, I was having a discussion with my cousin, Josephine Dayco, regarding spiritual gifts. At that time, I wasn’t even sure I had any, until she said, “Duh, your spiritual gift is joy!” I guess it didn’t really hit me until that moment, and I had very little grasp on what that actually meant until years later. Read more>>

Kelly Keiley

I found my purpose after I became a mother. I did not hold myself accountable until I had my daughters to take care of and protect. I was willing to accept a lower standard of living until I realized that I was responsible for another human being’s well-being and future. I felt a weight on my shoulders that I had never experienced, and it made me strive for better.  Read more>>

Gina Damato

For me, discovering my purpose has been a journey filled with moments of joy, creativity, and endless inspiration. It all began nearly 12 years ago when I embarked on my event career with Disney. From the very start, I was captivated by the intricate details and the magic that goes into creating unforgettable experiences on a grand scale. Read more>>

Cassandra Sampson

Finding my purpose was indeed an act of grace!  I had found myself as a single teenage mom with what seemed to be left with a bag of lost dreams; yet in the midst of one of my darkest hours, my child brought me much hope.  My mother was determined that not completing high school was not an option; she pushed me to do more, climb higher; work harder.  Some things are easier said than done.  Read more>>

Marton Varo

Finding my purpose was a journey that began at a very young age. I’ve always been fascinated by the magic of movies and the incredible power of storytelling. As a child, I would spend hours watching films, captivated by how stories could evoke such strong emotions and transport audiences to different worlds. Read more>>

Kiran Joan

My work is currently directed toward two primary areas: design and fine art. In the field of fine art, my focus shifts inward as I seek to communicate my internal world through the medium of ceramic forms. Read more>>

Ronald Luo

When I was young, I loved collecting toys and would never bear to play with them. I bought a cheap camera back then and would take photos of the toys before putting them back in their packaging. Over time, I began to feel that the entry-level camera couldn’t meet my needs, but the professional ones were too expensive.  Read more>>

Akeeya Umstead

Finding my purpose was a journey that started with a deep-seated passion instilled in me by my late mother, Cassandra Wallace Umstead. She taught me the importance of giving back to the community from a young age, and this value became the cornerstone of my life’s mission. Read more>>

Melanie Espinosa

I’m an artist and my creative journey is very nonlinear. I started on this path creating women’s clothes. I learned how to sew and drape in high school and decided to make a business out of it. I organized independent fashion shows during NYFW and was featured on The Late Show with David Letterman. The idea behind the brand was to empower the modern woman and I embodied that with each piece I handmade. Read more>>

Aakansha Dave

That’s an interesting question, as I believe my purpose has been growing and evolving all along as I embarked on the journey of discovering my passion. My passion for Dance and movement that started at a very young age. I have been in love with all things Dance and Movement since the age of 6. Read more>>

Michael Twyman

I enjoy teaching patients how their cardiovascular system works so they can be empowered to lower their risk of having a heart attack. I was trained as invasive cardiologist and treated many heart attacks in my career. I felt we were waiting too long to help people so I went down the rabbit hole of learning more about vascular biology and lipoprotein metabolism. I was looking for the root causes of vascular disease. Read more>>

Hannah Dahl Ross

I discovered my purpose through a sacrifice, obsession and some risk-taking. A few years ago, I quit my design job. As a graduate in interior design from SDSU, I initially followed in my mom’s footsteps, driven by my passion for interiors and creative self-expression. However, once I started working in the field, I realized it wasn’t what I had envisioned. Read more>>

Alkemis Design

We both started our professional careers in other fields. As life goes for most women, these careers were interrupted at times as we raised our families, took care of aging parents, and even relocated to another continent. As our children left to begin their own lives, we found ourselves in a position to pursue our passions. Read more>>

Hillary Lewis and Yaya Porizek

We found our purpose in the need for a fitness studio that is inclusive and welcoming. So many times, you’ll go to a class only to feel like you were an outsider and you didn’t know what you were doing. It takes a lot of confidence to step into a room of people you don’t know and try a new workout. We found our purpose in being a place where everyone feels at home and included. Read more>>

Dean Samuels

After losing over $500,000, I rediscovered my purpose by spending time with God, allowing Him to guide me through my stormy season. In a period where I thought all was lost and felt as if I had hit rock bottom, God was simply rebuilding my foundation. I had forgotten who I was in that season and lost my voice, but somehow, someway, I was able to rediscover my voice, realigning me with my purpose.  Read more>>

Dr. Erika Michalski

I have definitely NOT had a linear career. But honestly, who has!? And understanding my purpose was really a matter of reflecting in the middle of chaos (sometimes while crying in a ball on the floor of our walk-in closet) … and honoring what I discovered about myself during those tough moments. Read more>>

Kolt Bloxson Pitts

I found my purpose when I become a mom. My son is my everything, and all the”wants” and “love” I have for him I know other parents have for their children. And so, I wanted to create something that would make my son and any parent proud to be a part of. Read more>>

Jessica Cole

I found freedom through personal finance. When I graduated college, I left with 2 Ds: a degree and debt. Since I had attended a prestigious institution, I was called “lucky” to have graduated with “only” $55K of student loan debt. I didn’t feel so lucky. Read more>>

Polina Nazaykinskaya

Music composition isn’t just a career—it’s a calling that gives my life purpose and fulfillment. My journey with music began in an unexpected, magical way. I was born and raised in Togliatti, a large industrial city in post-Soviet Russia, where my love for music blossomed at a very young age. My mom loves to tell the story of how, at age two, I crawled to the piano and played a melody from Glinka’s opera “Life for the Tsar.” Read more>>

Lukis Mac & Helle Weston Owaken Breathwork

When we chase what brings us joy, we start to connect with our true purpose. This not only fulfills us personally but also spreads positivity everywhere. As we follow our joy, we naturally find ourselves drawn to activities, relationships, and experiences that feel right for us. Read more>>

Shafira Pratiwi

I’ve always loved makeup since I was little. I grew up being very insecure and hyper aware of my face and body. I was told multiple times by family members that I should laser off my freckles, lose more weight, and do all these different things to look “beautiful” in their eyes. Which I tried. It didn’t work. It didn’t work not because I didn’t do a good enough job but rather because it came from a place of self hatred and feeling not good enough for anyone.  Read more>>

Lindsey Hirway

It’s been a winding path to find my purpose. I love and appreciate beautiful things, and making beautiful things (or trying to). For me, there was an evolution from just making things because I liked how they looked, to expanding that to something I felt compelled to make because of what it meant to me. Read more>>

Franck Carducci

It took me quite some time to find it. At first, I didn’t realize the importance of finding a purpose, so I was just living my life day by day, just doing what I love to do. (Music). I came across a pretty cool video on YouTube of Simon Sinek explaining why we should all “start with WHY”.  Read more>>

Alissa Mattson

Searching for one’s purpose can be quite an elusive task. I say “abandon the search and become curious.” Searching is a low vibrational energy that won’t align us with our higher selves, which is connected to our purpose. When we become more curious and interested in ourselves, we begin to explore and find facets of ourselves we had not discovered before. One of my teachers told me “pay attention to what lights you up”.  Read more>>

Marc Perez

I found my purpose of creating stories and portraying relatable narratives through my music through community engagement, both as a student and as a teacher. I feel music comes from the community, or people in general, first and foremost. By refocusing music on people rather than an institution, we can see the beauty and identity of each story. Read more>>

Jason Wigfall

The pandemic forced me to make the best business decision of my life. I always had a passion for fashion but my life would change on December 20th 2020, 5 days before Christmas and 11 days before my birthday (New Year’s Eve) i broke my ankle and found out a friend passed all in one day. I was broken, sad and depressed just losing one of my older sisters months before, this is when PAPER OVER PAIN was born. Read more>>

Bryan Hein

In 2007 I was living in Florida and married to a woman who worked in a bank. I was working 6 days a week, making the most money I ever have, enough to cover all expenses and add to a savings account. It was convenient to give her my checks and have her pay the bills. She sat me down one evening and told me that we were 3 months behind on all of our bills. Electric, water, cable, internet, mortgage and my work van were all unpaid. Read more>>

Andy Stark

Oh well, that’s a life time search I guess. I wouldn’t say I’ve found my forever purpose. I would say I enjoy what I do now, and still exploring possibilities. Key to success is stop thinking that you have a deadline. Only opinion finding your purpose is overrated. You have to like what you do and it should bring value to the world. Read more>>

Sarah Cox

I faced struggles to get pregnant because of infertility related to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Throughout my motherhood journey, I also had three pregnancy losses, including a chemical pregnancy, miscarriage, and the 32 week stillbirth of my daughter, Jasmine. I also had three living children throughout my journey. Read more>>