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A sense of loss is a silent killer. It eats away at your soul, drains your energy, and traps you in a cycle of poverty and regret. My Rich Habits Study—a five-year study of 233 self-made millionaires and 128 poor people—revealed a hard truth: 79 percent of wealthy people found and pursued a clear primary purpose in life, compared with only 11 percent of poor people. This disparity is not luck. is the direction. Purpose isn’t a luxury for the privileged—it’s the lifeline that pulls you out of the abyss, even if you’re stuck in debt, despair, or a dead-end job.
The data are brutal, but also illuminating. In my book Abundance Habits: Habits Millionaires Use Everyday to Help You Build Wealth, I found that 88% of millionaires work in a field they love or are passionate about. They didn’t start out rich. Twenty-seven percent grew up in poverty but found their calling through persistent self-education and experimentation—94% read at least 30 minutes a day, often biographies of self-made people.
A Forbes article about my research noted that many millionaires get “lost” in the wrong career for years until failure or a mentor forces them to pivot and change career direction. One of the self-made millionaires featured in this Forbes article was a janitor turned real estate mogul. He said his turning point came at age 35, when he was broke, divorced and started cleaning toilets. He read Think and Grow Rich and realized his love of fixing things could become a business.
Harvard’s 80-year-old Grant Study, the longest study of human development, confirms that a sense of purpose predicts financial success, health, and longevity. Those who lack it will drift. Those who find it will thrive.
As reported in a Business Insider article covering my work, 76% of millionaires mentor others, often guiding lost souls toward their goals because they remember how they felt when they were empty.
So how do you find your calling when bills are overdue and hopes are dashed?
Step 1: Track the things that excite you– Even the little things. My research shows that millionaires spend 85% of their time on activities related to their core strengths or doing things they enjoy or are passionate about. Write down a time when you felt “flow.” An article from CNBC Rich Habits highlights this: A millionaire found his purpose selling handmade jewelry at flea markets while working three jobs. Poverty didn’t stop her – it forced her to look inward and focus on doing the things she loved and creating additional sources of income.
Step Two: Experiment ruthlessly. Rich people fail. 44% of millionaires have failed in business at least once, but they used those scars to transform. Try a side hustle, volunteer, take free classes. As I shared in a Success Magazine interview, “Unsuccessful people wait for doors to open. Successful people knock on a lot of doors.”
Step 3: Surround yourself with climbers. According to data I got from Yahoo Finance, 84% of wealth is affected by a reference group. Join a mastermind, online forum, or mentoring program. One study participant escaped poverty by attending free real estate parties and now owns 42 homes.
Step 4: Commit to daily growth. 88% of millionaires read for self-improvement. Start with 10 pages a day. Knowledge compounding. Purpose emerged.
The feeling of being lost isn’t permanent – it’s just a sign. The abyss of poverty exacerbates the situation, but it also exacerbates your hunger. When I was nine, my family lost everything in a fire. It was this pain that prompted this study. Your struggles are not punishment—but preparation.
You are not behind. You are being forged. Find a job that makes time disappear. Serve others through it. Build skills every day. The trajectory to success isn’t hidden—it’s crafted step by step by those who have the courage to stop following the crowd and start taking charge.
There is nothing worse than being lost.
But when you find your path, everything in life becomes better.
