Are You Chasing Validation or Purpose

We live in a world that constantly asks us to perform, prove, and please.

Are You Chasing Validation or Purpose?

From the curated snapshots on social media to the silent competition in our careers, relationships, and lifestyles, it's easy to fall into a rhythm where our worth feels measured by applause. A like. A compliment. A raise. A retweet. An award.

But here's the question: Are you chasing validation, or are you living your purpose?

The Moment It Got Personal

Not long ago, I had a conversation with a close friend. We were talking about pride, how it shows up in subtle ways, and how it often ties itself to our need for validation. In the middle of that conversation, they asked me a question that stopped me in my tracks:

“If you had nothing to prove, what would you still choose to do?”

That hit me. Hard.

In that moment, I had to be real with myself. I realized that for a long time, I was chasing validation. I wanted to be seen as accomplished, impressive, and worthy. I wanted the titles. The degrees. The applause. I wore pride like a quiet badge, thinking it was drive, but really, it was fear.

Fear of not being enough. Fear of being unseen.

But somewhere along the way, that started to shift. I got tired. Not just physically, but spiritually. I began to see that validation was a never-ending chase, and the person I was trying to prove something to… was often myself.

And here’s what I’ve come to understand: I don’t need a title or a degree to start walking in my purpose. Purpose doesn’t wait for permission. It doesn't need credentials to be real. It just needs honesty and the courage to begin.

Validation: The Short-Term High

Validation feels good. It’s natural to want recognition; we’re human. But when we start to depend on it, we lose touch with ourselves.

Chasing validation turns life into a performance. You begin making decisions based on what looks good, not what feels right. You start measuring your worth by how others see you instead of how true you’re being to yourself.

It’s exhausting. And it’s never enough.

Purpose: The Quiet Flame

Purpose, on the other hand, is different. It’s not always loud. It doesn’t always get praise. But it fulfills you in a way validation never can.

When you live from purpose, you don’t need to impress anyone. You’re not trying to “be somebody; you’re already somebody. You move with clarity, not competition. Even when it’s hard, it feels meaningful.

And the wild thing? The moment you stop needing validation, your presence becomes even more powerful because it’s real.

How to Know the Difference

Ask yourself:

• If no one could see me do this, would I still want to do it?

• Am I chasing visibility or living in alignment?

• Do I feel empty after I achieve, or do I feel whole as I walk it out?

• Whose approval am I really waiting for—and why?

Living in Truth

That conversation with my friend was a mirror. It made me face a version of myself I had outgrown but hadn’t acknowledged yet. And in doing so, I reclaimed something deeper: my why.

Now, I’m no longer building to prove. I’m building because I believe. Because I care. Because I know my purpose, and it doesn’t need a stage to be sacred.

And neither does yours.

Final Thoughts

If you’re in a season of wrestling between pride and purpose, between performance and authenticity, you’re not alone. Most of us walk through that tension.

But you don’t have to stay stuck in the cycle.

Sometimes, it just takes one honest moment with yourself to shift everything.

So, ask yourself the hard questions. Be real about your motives. And when you’re ready, let go of the need to impress.

Because who are you when no one’s watching? That’s where your purpose lives.

With purpose and grace,

A. Sawyer