033: "Are You Chasing Success Without Knowing Why?" (lessons from Peter Awad)

🧠 Erik’s Take

In this reflection, Erik unpacks his recent interview with Peter Awad—a powerful, purpose-driven conversation that left him wanting more time. The episode explored how discovering your “why” is far less about lightbulb moments and far more about long-haul self-inquiry. Erik doesn’t just review their dialogue—he reveals how his own journey mirrored Peter’s, including the patience, pain, and pattern-recognition it took to step away from sales leadership and into entrepreneurship with intention.

This one’s a heartfelt reminder: clarity doesn’t come quickly—but the right questions will carry you there.

🎯 Top Insights from the Interview

• Purpose Isn’t Found—It’s Grown
  Erik and Peter both took 18–24 months to identify their calling. Purpose reveals itself through long reflection and intentional action.
• The Right Questions Matter More Than Answers
  Six core questions shaped their journeys—from “What are your superpowers?” to “What experiences do you want to have?”
• Self-Awareness Is the First Door
  Becoming aware of what others consistently notice, compliment, or ask you about is the starting point for discovering your “why.”
• You Don’t Think Your Way Into It
  Insight comes through action. These aren’t theoretical exercises—you find clarity by testing, failing, adjusting, and learning.
• Misalignment Feels Like a Bloody Forehead
  If you’re constantly frustrated or stuck, that’s often a sign you're living out of sync with your deeper purpose.

🧩 The Personal Layer

Erik’s admiration for Peter’s depth and clarity is matched by his own raw honesty about how long it took him to figure out what really mattered. He shares how coaching, entrepreneurship, and a relentless curiosity pulled him out of misalignment—and how asking the right questions (again and again) became a lifeline. There’s humility here, but also fire: a call for listeners to stop waiting for lightning and start building their own storm.

🧰 From Insight to Action

Want to start clarifying your purpose? Try this:

1. Write down your answers to these 3 questions:
   • What skills do I want to develop?
   • What experiences do I want to have?
   • What responsibilities do I want to carry?
2. Then answer Peter’s 3:
   • What are my superpowers?
   • What do I want the work to look like?
   • What incentives matter most to me?
3. Look for patterns: What shows up across both sets?
4. Listen to what people naturally come to you for.
5. Give yourself time. This is a journey, not a pop quiz.

🗣️ Notable Quotes

“We all know we’re supposed to connect with our purpose. What we don’t talk about enough is how long that actually takes.”
“Self-awareness seems to be the first step in starting to identify your why.”
“We think we’ll ask ourselves these questions and the answers will just come. That’s not how it works.”
“Are you aware of the walls you keep running into—or are you still getting a bloody forehead wondering why?”

🔗 Links & Resources

• Learn more about Peter's work at White Stone Coach
• Text White Stone to 55444 to get Peter’s Free Resource!