For most of my 20s I treated this like a riddle with one correct answer I just hadn't found yet — like if I read enough books or achieved enough things, the "purpose" would reveal itself and everything would click into place. It never did, and I spent a lot of years feeling behind because of it.

What actually shifted things was realizing the question itself was the problem. I was searching for one big, permanent, universal answer, when really it seems to be more like a handful of smaller, ongoing commitments: staying close to the people I love, doing work that doesn't feel like a betrayal of my own values, staying curious enough to keep learning things, and taking care of my body and mind well enough to actually be present for the rest of it.

None of those are a "finish line." They're more like directions to keep walking in, and the purpose isn't some destination at the end — it's the walking itself, done with some intention instead of on autopilot.

I don't think this is the universal answer for everyone, and I'm not claiming it is. But if you're stuck the way I was, looking for one grand answer that never comes, it might help to stop looking for the answer and start looking for the handful of directions that make your specific life feel worth living day to day.

What's your version of this? Did you land on something similar, or completely different?

Three years ago I couldn't run a single mile without walking. I'm not naturally athletic and always assumed distance running just "wasn't for me." This past weekend I finished my first half marathon (13.1 miles) at a steady pace, no walking breaks, and I wanted to share what actually worked in case it helps someone else starting from zero.

The biggest shift was ditching the all-or-nothing mindset. I used to try to run as far as possible until I collapsed, then feel discouraged for a week. Once I switched to a structured run/walk progression (starting with literally 60 seconds of running at a time) and added maybe 10% distance per week, it stopped feeling like torture and started feeling like actual progress I could see.

The other big factor was treating it like a long-term skill instead of a short-term challenge. I stopped chasing quick results and just showed up 3-4 times a week for over a year. Some weeks felt like nothing was changing, but looking back at my logs, the improvement was steady the whole time — I just couldn't see it week to week.

Not going to lie, there were plenty of mornings I didn't want to go, and a couple of minor injuries from pushing too hard too soon that taught me to actually respect rest days. But crossing that finish line without needing to walk made all of it worth it.

If you're in the "I could never do that" phase, you probably can. It just takes longer than people expect, and that's normal.

A few years ago I set a goal to have $10,000 saved by the time I turned 25, mostly because I wanted a financial cushion and to stop feeling stressed every time an unexpected expense popped up. I just hit that number this month and wanted to share since this sub has motivated me a lot along the way.

What actually helped was pretty simple honestly. I set up an automatic transfer to a separate savings account every payday so I never had to think about it or rely on willpower. I also tracked every expense for about six months just to see where my money was actually going, and it turned out a lot of it was small subscriptions and takeout that added up fast without me noticing.

I didn't do anything extreme like never going out or living off rice and beans. I just cut back on the stuff that didn't actually make me happy and redirected it toward the goal. It took about three years of steady saving to get here.

Next goal is to start investing part of it instead of just letting it sit, so if anyone has tips on getting started with that as a beginner, I'd love to hear them. Just wanted to share this as a reminder that slow and steady progress really does add up over time.

What if we all started a “Daily Series” on Reddit?

I’ve been thinking about doing something simple: posting one thing on Reddit every day for a year.

It doesn’t have to be something extraordinary.

It could be a life story, something that happened that day, a lesson you learned, a random thought, a small achievement, a failure, something funny, something frustrating, or even just a moment you don’t want to forget.

The idea is to create a kind of public diary — one post every day.

Imagine looking back after 30, 100, or 365 days and seeing how much your life actually changed.

You could call it:

Day 1/365 — [Your story]

Day 2/365 — [Your story]

Day 3/365 — [Your story]

No pressure to make every post interesting.

Just be real.

Maybe after a year, we’ll all have a collection of stories that we never would have written down otherwise.

If you’re interested in starting your own Daily Series, comment below. Let’s see how many people are willing to try it and stick with it for a year. 🙂

I wonder how people's lives are, I mean the people who just went with the flow without having any clear goals, I kinda feel like that I don't know.

I don't know what to do and how to start doing things that make my day really rich of joy and happiness...

If someone have usefull suggestions.. please don't hesitate...

A couple of years ago, I set a goal to run a half marathon. I trained for months, finished the race, and honestly felt kind of empty afterward. The goal itself didn't change much about my daily life once it was over.

What actually changed my life was a much smaller, less exciting goal I set almost by accident during that training: waking up at the same time every day, including weekends. I only did it because early runs fit my schedule better, but that one habit ended up reshaping everything else — my sleep improved, my mornings became calmer, and I had more consistent energy throughout the day.

Looking back, I think the difference was that the half marathon was an event with an end date, while the wake-up time became a system that kept paying off long after the race was over. Goals with a finish line give you a rush, but goals that quietly become part of your daily structure seem to be the ones that actually stick and compound over time.

Has anyone else noticed this? A goal you set for one reason ended up mattering way more than the goal you were originally chasing?

hello everyone,

next year I become 40.....while a privilege to age and all that, i also feel I have never really done anything hugely interesting in my life. like many I work a corporate job, while I like some of the work and enjoy many of my colleagues, it does partly and slowly kill me every day; which is surely how many feel where a huge moment of personal satisfaction in the week comes from a beautifully structured pivot table. 

separate to the work, I have mighty friends who I love but priorities for them have changed to raising kids and buying SUVs, which hasn't come my way yet. i do study Law part time, which has been amazing and something i want to progress, even if it means in five years time, i will report to someone half my age for a quarter of the money i am on now. those numbers are not typically in your self help book quote but this is mine....it will work out better in the end. Let Them\ and all that.*

so why am I telling you all this. today, i did think of something which might be cool to celebrate my ruby anniversary. the US is a country I love (I'm Irish born, raised and living). i love meeting Americans and have visited the country over various years to various states, mostly east coast. NYC which i appreciate is atypical of the world, is just the best. I want to see the less explored parts for a time and think I may be able to get 3 months off from my work, if i play the corporate game well enough. 

kicking off a bit of a discussion which i would love you to join, hopefully that will grow over the next while. Name the cities I need to visit, the small villages which are creepy but cool, the deserted town that can't be missed even if it is hugely missed. Today was purely the idea, this will help with the plan but maybe if you are reading this and somewhat relate to it, then we will grab a coffee in one of these places you strongly recommend once it becomes execution. Anyway, hopefully this my first of many updates.....long way to get to landing in the US but every journey of a thousand miles begins with a simple step (Laozi). 

I'm 23 and currently doing an apprenticeship in PNB, which will end in March 2027. I live with my mother, so I also have the responsibility of making sure we have a stable and comfortable place to live.

I’m confused about what would be the better option:

Take some time after March 2027 and seriously prepare for PO/Clerk exams, targeting a bank job in 2028.

Start looking for a private entry-level job in Gurgaon/Chandigarh around ₹30–35k from April 2027.

Financially, we can manage if I spend the next year preparing for banking exams. My main concern is that if I get a bank job in 2028, it could give us better long-term stability and potentially a more comfortable life than taking an entry-level private job in Gurgaon/Chandigarh, especially because I would have to move with my mother if I relocate.

So what would you do in my situation? Is it worth taking 1–2 years seriously for a bank job, or should I start earning ₹30–35k in the private sector as soon as my apprenticeship ends?

What is your definition of a fulfilled life. I life where , on your deathbed you can have no regret. For me my definition of a fulfilled life would a list of goals and experience I want to gain.

Living lives in the swiss Alps. As a financially fulfilled individual, with a house that has all the things i want, from a pool to a gaming room, with my family-everyone, living happily, am a member at local gun range, a member at a horse riding ranch, owning a white serene horse. In my house i own a collection of swords. I have collection of watches that are distinct in purpose. I should own a ship. Have skills of a sailor. Travel whole world. Do a trip on a bike across russia. Do a trip with a rc across america (both north & south). Visit israel. Do a full family trip on a rc across india with my whole family. Learn wayfarer skills. Learn to sail the ocean on my wooden ships with a crew of 2-3 ,​me being the captain. Do photography of nature as a passion on all other places i visit.

Here the most important part being a home In the Swiss Alps near nature or a lake.

Then come a 40-60ft sailboat with a crew of 2-3.

A trip on a motorbike across Russia, a rv trip across Americas( both north and south.). A rv trip across India with my family. A trip to Israel.

I would want to learn skills such as sailing the open seas. Learn to ride a horse. And participate in a race and possibly learn polo and become a professional polo player.

The most important experience that will last 6-9 months.

A sailing adventure - From 1.Mumbai to 2.Goa then to 3. Madagascar then to 4.Cape town then to 5.North African coast from then to either 6.France or Italy.

I want people who read this whole and their suggestions, if I could be satisfied internally if I achieved the goals I have set at 16.

Would anyone call this the idea of a fulfilled life.

I'm a 26yo M. Have been working on improving myself in every dimension of life i thought I sucked at.

Now I feel like I am a person with so many personalities, I sometimes fail to understand which one is the real me, or which one of my personalities is actually happy or happy because society accepts it as normal.

I work in the corporate, create content, make people fit. And these are the 3 ways I feel I can earn a living. Of them all, I earn the most out of my Job, the other are more like hobbies, but have great potential, and I feel like if I give it enough time, I might make it well there as well. Need suggestions if someone has faced something similar, and how to figure life out through it all?

I'm 17.

I want to change the world.

I have tried so many things already, but I do not see a calling. Nor do I know where to find one.

Just give me life advice. 🤝

I’m 29M, living in the US and working in tech.
My life is pretty stable now. I have a job and not sure how long I can survive here.

I go to the gym and take care of myself. But most days are basically **work → gym → home → sleep**.

I’m single and don’t have a big social circle here either.

I’m at a point where I’m wondering what I should actually focus on for the next few years.

**Career? Money/investing? Dating/marriage? Friends and social life? Travel? Health? Education? Something else?**

For people who are 30+:
**If you could go back to 29, what would you prioritize more, and what would you stop wasting time on?**

I've been thinking about why most people fail at big life changes but succeed at small ones, and I think it comes down to a simple logical trap: we chase transformation, but transformation is actually just accumulation in disguise.

Here's the reasoning. If you improve at something by just 1% a day, compounding that over a year gets you roughly 37 times better — not 365% better, 37x. That's the magic of compounding applied to habits instead of money. But almost nobody believes this when they start, because 1% feels invisible. So people quit in week two, convinced nothing is happening, right before the curve would've started bending upward.

The logical flaw in most "life goals" thinking is that we treat progress as linear when it's actually exponential and back-loaded. You don't feel the results of consistency until you're already deep into it — which means the hardest part isn't the effort, it's tolerating the appearance of no progress.

So my actual life goal isn't "get fit" or "read more" — it's to get comfortable being unimpressed with myself for long stretches of time, because that discomfort is literally what compounding looks like from the inside.

Curious if anyone else has restructured a goal once they understood the math behind it rather than just the motivation behind it.

Nobody really has themselves figured out.

This is a place for people who are trying things, learning things, making things, changing their minds, failing, starting over, and figuring out who they want to become.

You can share a project you're working on, something you're learning, an experiment you tried, a question you've been thinking about, something you created, or simply an idea you can't get out of your head.

You don't have to be an expert. You don't have to have everything figured out.

You just have to be in progress.

So, let's start here:

What's something you're currently trying to learn, build, change, understand, or become?

Tell us a little about it—and if you're comfortable, tell us why.