Many of us think purpose hits us like a lightning bolt.
One day we'll wake up, discover what we're "meant" to do and everything will suddenly make sense.
But what if purpose isn't something you find, but something that grows over time?
That was one of my biggest takeaways from my conversation with human behaviourist and chiropractor Dr Kyle Hulsebus. After spending years helping people in clinical practice, he'd noticed something interesting. The people living the happiest, healthiest lives weren't necessarily the most successful. They were the ones making small, intentional choices every day.
Are we living consciously—or simply reacting?
Kyle believes many of us are living on autopilot.
We wake up.
Check our phones.
Consume endless information.
React to headlines.
Scroll social media.
By the end of the day we've spent hours paying attention to everyone else's lives while becoming disconnected from our own.
Technology isn't the problem.
It's how easily it captures our attention.
Sometimes the healthiest thing we can do is surprisingly simple.
Put the phone down.
Go outside.
Notice what's happening around you instead of what's happening on a screen.
Those small moments of awareness reconnect us with ourselves.
Purpose isn't one big moment
One idea I loved from this conversation was that success and failure often travel exactly the same road.
Whether your business succeeds.
Whether your book gets published.
Whether your idea works.
You still become the person who had the courage to try.
The process shapes you regardless of the outcome.
That's why Kyle talks about focusing less on the destination and more on the journey.
Because the journey is your life.
Your body is paying attention
As a chiropractor, Kyle has spent years watching how people respond to stress.
Often we ignore the small signals.
Poor sleep.
Tension.
Fatigue.
Anxiety.
Until eventually our body demands our attention.
Rather than seeing symptoms as something to fight, Kyle encourages us to become curious.
What is my body trying to tell me?
Where am I living out of alignment?
It's a perspective that feels particularly relevant in midlife, when many of us realise we can't simply keep pushing through.
Small habits create meaningful lives
Kyle's 40 Over 40 project isn't built around dramatic transformation.
It's built around small actions.
Read a book.
Go for a walk.
Spend time outside.
Learn something new.
Invest in your relationships.
Sleep well.
None of these habits are revolutionary.
But together they create a life that's lived more consciously.
And perhaps that's the point.
Purpose isn't usually found in one giant leap.
It's created through hundreds of small choices repeated over time.
What legacy are you leaving?
Towards the end of our conversation, Kyle shared a beautiful reflection on legacy.
Not legacy in the sense of fame or achievement.
But the impression you leave through everyday interactions.
The way you make people feel.
The conversations you have.
The kindness you offer.
The example you set.
Those small moments become the story of your life.
Listen to the full conversation
If you've been wondering how to find your purpose after 40, feeling stuck, or simply wanting to live more intentionally, I think you'll really enjoy this conversation with Dr Kyle Hulsebus.
It's a reminder that a meaningful life isn't built overnight.
It's built one conscious choice at a time.