There was once a young girl who painted with a deep sense of purpose—to spread happiness through the beauty of her art. Her talent soon gained recognition, and she became a famous artist whose paintings sold for large sums of money. However, as her success grew, her mindset began to shift. Instead of focusing on the joy her art brought to others, she started asking herself, How much will I earn from my next painting? How much praise will I receive?

One day, a wealthy couple approached her, requesting a portrait and offering a generous payment. She eagerly agreed. But as she began painting, something felt off. Her concentration wavered—the face didn’t look right, the body seemed poorly structured. After hours of struggle, she finally apologized to the couple, admitting she couldn’t complete the portrait.

For the first time in her life, she had failed to finish a painting. She stared at the unfinished canvas, feeling a deep sense of loss. How could I, once so effortless with the brush, struggle now? Overwhelmed with sadness, she turned to her childhood friend, who was also an artist, and shared her frustration.

Her friend listened patiently and asked, “When you first picked up a brush as a child, what was your purpose?”

The artist thought for a moment and replied, “I painted because I loved it. I wanted to make the world a happier place, to bring color into people’s lives.”

“Exactly,” her friend said. “But now, you’re not painting for love or happiness anymore. You’re chasing fame, money, and recognition, which are byproducts of your purpose of painting. You’ve lost sight of what truly mattered to you, and that’s why your art is suffering.”

This story teaches a profound lesson: when we lose sight of our purpose, we lose the essence of what makes our work meaningful. Goals like money, fame, and success are important. But purpose is the foundation that gives these goals their true value. We can think of it this way: purpose is the soul, residing in the body called goals.