In the first video on how to move forward to be committed to our own life visions and to take consistent actions, I proposed to you a connect with your deep WHY that transcend the discussion or the tension created by both fear and courage.
Let’s call that thing Purpose.
In this second video – Beyond Fear and Timelines: Redefining Purpose for a Fulfilling Life,
You will hear about:
- Purpose Transcends Fear, Readiness, and Mental Chatter
- Purpose Has No Timeline or Outcome-Based Pressure
- Purpose is Deeply Personal and Often “Selfish”
- Purpose Evolves and Can Be Expressed Through Different Mediums
- Purpose is a Daily Compass, Not Just a Grand Statement
If you prefer reading, read on.
We often speak of courage when we feel fear.
We talk about readiness when something new scares us.
But what if these conversations are missing the point?
In the second part of this series on courage, I’d like to shift the conversation from fear to purpose – a word that holds both power and confusion for many.
🌹Fear is a Survival Instinct, Not a Roadblock
Let’s begin by acknowledging a simple truth: fear is biological. Our minds are wired for safety. Anything unfamiliar often feels unsafe, not because it is, but because it hasn’t been experienced yet. So we wait. We overthink. We tell ourselves we’re not ready.
But waiting to “feel ready” is a loop. You don’t become ready by avoiding the unknown – you transcend fear by anchoring into something deeper.
🌹The Path Beyond Fear Is Purpose
Courage isn’t about pushing past fear. It’s about caring about something so deeply that fear becomes irrelevant.
This is where purpose enters.
Purpose, unlike goals, is not tied to timelines or measurable outcomes.
It doesn’t ask: “Will you do it in 5 years?”
It asks: “Would you still choose this, even if it takes 50?”
This distinction is crucial.
Purpose Is Not a Goal
Most of us are trained to set goals. We know how to write five-year visions, career plans, and financial targets. These are valuable – but they are not the same as purpose.
Goals have deadlines. Purpose has devotion.
If you wouldn’t stay committed to a goal beyond its deadline, it may not be your purpose.
It may just be a means to your purpose.
So the question becomes:
What are you so devoted to that you’d pursue it regardless of timelines, outcomes, or recognition?
Purpose Is Selfish. And That’s Okay
(Would you believe when you own this selfishness with deep love, you will inevitably be ending up making incredible positive impact in this world?)
Here’s a truth we don’t say enough:
Your purpose can be selfish.
Not in a harmful way, but in the kind of selfishness that makes you come alive.
The kind that makes you fall in love with the version of yourself who shows up fully, who cares deeply, who feels the joy of contributing to something meaningful.
Your purpose isn’t necessarily about saving the world or fulfilling others’ expectations.
It’s about you – your inner fire, your aliveness, your truth.
If what you’re pursuing doesn’t make you love yourself more in the process, go deeper. You’re not there yet.
🌹Expression Evolves – Essence Doesn’t
The expression of your purpose might evolve – what once came through fashion might now come through coaching or writing.
The essence remains.
Part of my essence has always been about beauty, truth, and connection.
In fashion, I expressed it through being the commercial part of creativity. I had believed that this is the most attainable way for everyone to immerse themselves in human creativity, beauty and connection with self-expression.
Today, I express it through guiding others toward their inner truth and create their external reality, daily life, through that truth.
The medium changed but the message remained.
So don’t stress about finding the perfect “job” or title to match your purpose. Instead, ask:
What do I love so much I’d keep showing up for it – even when it’s hard?
A Final Reflection
Your purpose doesn’t arrive with a job offer or a vision board. It reveals itself through commitment, honesty and the willingness to listen beneath the noise.
Here’s my invitation To YOU:
Take a deep breath.
Feel into the word purpose.
Notice what arises – not what you think, but what you feel.
Write it down.
Be honest. Be selfish. Be real.
And then ask yourself:
Would I still do this if no one clapped? If it took 20 years? If the only thing I got was becoming the person I love being?
If the answer is yes…
You’ve found something sacred.
Be love and be loved,
Shuang-Min
🌀 What’s the one thing you want to choose to align with instead of fear?
I would love to hear about it and cheer you on.