We live in an era that celebrates success in real time. Social media has transformed achievements into showcases and results into validation metrics.
But the more I observe this movement, the more I realize how lost people feel inside—even when they seem to be winning on the outside. Combining success and purpose is a challenge because it requires something that can’t be measured in numbers: self-knowledge.
Success is visible. It’s measured in revenue, growth, followers, and expansion. Purpose, on the other hand, is silent. It’s not displayed, it’s felt.
And that’s precisely why so many people get lost along the way: we spend our lives seeking external recognition without realizing that, often, true meaning lies in what no one sees.
The problem is that the corporate world, and even the universe of startups and global entrepreneurship, still values speed more than direction. We want to grow, but we rarely stop to ask where to.
I’ve experienced this myself. In the beginning of SEDA, the focus was on building, growing, proving that it was possible to do things differently. And we succeeded.
But a moment came when I realized that success without purpose is like a beautiful building built on unstable ground.
You look from the outside and are impressed, but inside you feel that something is out of place. It was necessary to slow down to understand that growth wasn’t enough—it was necessary to grow with meaning.
Uniting success and purpose is difficult because the former speaks to the ego, and the latter speaks to the conscience. Success seeks visibility; purpose seeks meaning.
And finding balance between the two is a constant exercise in humility and inner listening.
It’s learning to say no to opportunities that seem good but aren’t aligned with who you are. It’s choosing the coherent path, even if it’s slower.
When a company, a professional, or a leader finds purpose, everything changes. Decisions become clearer, relationships become more genuine, and work becomes a natural extension of values, not just a source of results.
Purpose doesn’t eliminate success—it redefines it.
True success isn’t what impresses others, but what makes sense to you.
Ultimately, uniting success and purpose means understanding that achievement is only worthwhile if it comes with peace.
And this peace, contrary to what one might imagine, isn’t the end of the journey—it’s the sign that you’re finally on the right path.
