Find purpose
Does the world need another blog? To be honest, I’m not sure. But I do know that I’m passionate about exploring meaningful topics, particularly In Pursuit of Purpose — and I believe my purpose is helping others find and live theirs. So, here we are.
After 30 years of leading, learning, and occasionally tripping over my own ambitions, I’ve found myself in a new chapter — one where the suits are a little less stiff, the coffee is a little stronger, and the drive to create meaningful impact hasn’t dulled a bit. I spent decades helping organizations grow, wrestle with purpose, and navigate transitions. Now, I’m embracing a different kind of challenge: putting thoughts into words and sharing them with whoever wants to listen (or at least skim politely).
My passion and focus are centered on purpose — uncovering the underlying reason we uniquely exist and exploring how we express this in our everyday lives. How can we make more room for purpose? What does the science say? And how can we authentically leverage purpose in our lives and businesses to drive better results and make a lasting impact?
If you’re here reading these passages, that’s one of the most important gifts you could share. And if you share comments, well, that’s even more transformational.
I’m a recovering executive.
For thirty-four years, I worked at one company, starting in production and, with a mix of luck, hard work, formal education (a couple of master’s degrees), and the support of countless people, I rose to serve as President and CEO. In 2022, we sold the company to private equity. I stayed on as President & CEO for a couple more years before leaving in March 2024 with an insatiable urge to exit and do something different.
The writing here isn’t necessarily about me. Instead, while I’ll share some of my stories, it’s always for the purpose of learning, exploring ideas, and diversifying insight.
I fit the classic CEO mold, with a personality cocktail that includes:
This combination highlights a blend of confidence, drive, and maybe a touch of stubbornness. My tendency was to take charge, push boundaries, and keep things moving forward — sometimes a little too forward and with too much vigor. The 7-wing and Maverick tendencies sprinkle in just enough restlessness and risk to keep things interesting (for me at least), occasionally dragging plans (and teams) into uncharted waters.
Our company was built on a foundation of authentic and meaningful beliefs. Our core values guided our decisions. We had a fully formed and powerful Why (“We Sustainably Feed People”) and an ambitious Leadership Aspiration (“To Lead the Growth of Sustainable Seafood Consumption”). We invested in sustainability, industry leadership, and community involvement, particularly in food, hunger, and nutrition-focused philanthropy. We punched above our weight. We exhibited true PURPOSE.
For a long time, my identity was my work. It was everything. Work was my pastime, my challenge, and my source of joy. I was fortunate to have a loving family who inspired me every day, but (sadly) my primary focus was on work. I thought I was good at it, I found applause doing it, and it made me believe I was making a real difference in the world.
Until it didn’t.
In fact, I realized I enjoyed the challenge but had lost the purpose making the challenge unfulfilling. Leaving was the right decision for me, and at the right time, with zero regrets. It was a true gift: the freedom, autonomy, and chance to go through a transformation and reset. However, surprisingly, the freedom and autonomy didn’t bring me joy. I quickly realized that without a clear path In Pursuit of Purpose, I didn’t know what truly brought me joy. I didn’t know how to slow down or how to replace the satisfaction of solving problems, being in the thick of it, and making weighty decisions.
A planned three-month sabbatical turned into nine months of self-examination, regaining my health, and re-orienting my time and love toward my family. My search for meaning took me to take courses on human flourishing, began meditating, journal daily, and start a gratitude practice. I dove into reading, listening, and learning from everything I could get my hands on.
“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” — Pablo Picasso
I found that what we think makes us happy often doesn’t.
In her Yale course, The Science of Well Being, Dr. Laurie Santos discusses the concept of the hedonic treadmill — the principle that we keep striving for more. As a result, when we achieve it, the joy is fleeting, and we’re compelled to work harder in pursuit of something more meaningful
Shawn Achor, in his famous TED Talk on happiness, suggests doing these five things daily to boost happiness:
Happiness can be defined as a state of well-being and contentment. But even more compelling to me is the concept of flourishing. In his book Flourish, Dr. Martin Seligman defines flourishing as thriving in key areas of well-being: positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and achievement. This feels fuller, more complete to me.
Through this journey, grounding all of it is purpose. My unique purpose makes me flourish, makes me resilient, and makes life meaningful. It’s a compass for my personal life — and, in hindsight, it’s what makes businesses flourish too.
“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” — Mark Twain
For me, I believe my purpose is to:
“Harness my unique gifts and curiosity to inspire others to make a greater impact.”
This is why I write. It’s why I want to share this journey with others. It’s part of my purpose. I believe this with every fiber of my being. this is why my fulfilled life will always be In Pursuit of Purpose.
I turned to writing during tough times. Specifically, journaling became a practice when life got hard. I started in 2020 with the best of intentions — though it was sporadic at first. Now, it’s a regular part of my life. Furthermore, I want to share this writing and insight with others.
I’m focused on topics like:
I draw inspiration from books, podcasts, scholarly articles (especially from Harvard Business Review), interactions, reflections on my career, and challenges posed by those I love.
I don’t profess to be an expert. In fact, the more I learn, the less I feel I know. But I promise to make each article thought-provoking and insightful. Thank you for reading. Let’s continue this journey In Pursuit of Purpose together.
I use tools like ChatGPT, Notion, Grammarly, and Copilot to polish my writing — think of them as my digital editors. The ideas, thoughts, and stories are mine; these tools just help me spell correctly and ensure I don’t sound ridiculous.
Let’s explore together. Welcome aboard!
When your body signals misalignment, it may be time to rediscover your purpose and realign…
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