Far too often, purpose in life feels scarce. We become enamored with a big, audacious version of purpose that can feel more overwhelming than inspiring. The higher our aspirations, the greater the potential for failure. Instead of running for local school board, we dream of becoming president, or at least a member of Congress.

While such dreams often earn high-fives and encouragement, the truth is that we have limited agency to reach those lofty goals. We have to be the right person, at the right time, saying the right things, and let’s not forget a healthy dose of luck.

The odds aren’t in our favor.

This version of purpose feels anything but abundant. We fall into a winner-takes-all mindset where success or failure are the only outcomes. Failure, of course, is far more likely. The result? A growing sense of anxiety and nihilism. Instead of purpose drawing us together, we’re seeing less social connection than ever before.

And the consequences are devastating.

A longitudinal global study (the Global Flourishing Study), which tracked over 200,000 adults aged 18–29 across 23 countries from 2022 to 2024, shows a flattened, or even J-shaped,........

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