Growing With Purpose

I recently came across a quote from Mark Twain: “Most people die at 27, but we bury them at 72.” During our school years, we’re given a structure that encourages growth by default—there’s always a next step, a challenge to tackle.

But once you enter the “real world,” life becomes a choose-your-own-adventure. Growth is no longer automatic; it has to be intentional. It’s up to you to decide where and how to grow.

This is why so many of my peers around my age experience a quarter-life crisis. It’s a crisis of meaning. Many of my peers have reached a point where they have everything they thought they wanted or needed, yet feel unfulfilled. Growth is essential to avoid this stagnation, but it has to happen in areas that truly matter to you.

By default, the world pushes us to grow in areas like money or career. And for some, that’s exactly what they want, which is great. But for others, pursuing those goals feels empty because they aren’t aligned with their true values.

As we head into 2025, it’s worth reflecting: What areas of your life do you want to grow in that are authentic to you?