“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” – Frederick Buechner
I spent over 10 years working in a high-pressure sales role.
My income was over $200,000 a year when I left and I enjoyed what I did.
However, I eventually realized I didn’t have a lot of time to myself.
In a way, I was trapped.
I was making too much money to leave, and yet I wanted to spend my time doing other things.
I was stuck. Golden handcuffs…
A lot of us feel like we’re stuck at some point, right?
We’re going through the motions and need to make money.
Today, we’re going to talk about that feeling and how to break yourself out of that mundane spiral.
Let’s get into it!
1. High Income Doesn’t Equal Time Freedom
There’s a huge difference between someone who’s high income and someone who’s high net worth.
I know a lot of physicians who made up to $500 a million per year.
Even though they made all that money, they felt trapped.
They couldn’t separate themselves from that life.
In contrast, someone with a high net worth has a whole different thing going for them.
They are far from trapped.
Freedom comes with the territory.
They are usually not tied to a traditional job and have time to live the lives they want to live.
2. The 3‑Circle Model Works—with Real Validation
A lot of people don’t like their jobs.
According to a 2023 survey by Empower, 64% of people say they would quit their job if money wasn’t an object.
In addition, 22% say happiness means not having to work at all.1
This says a lot.
If you need to work, you want to do things that get you excited.
In this chart, you’ll see the intersection where passion and proficiency and profitability all meet.
In the middle is the “calling” in your life.
There’s a word for this intersection in Japanese: ikigai.
It means “a passion that gives value and joy to life.”2
You’ve got the passion, you’ve got the purpose, and it all comes together with a real sense of excitement.
You can’t force something like that.
3. Your Personal Audit is the Launchpad
Personal audits are a fantastic tool.
They can help you find what you’re good at and cross out things you don’t like in your life.
All you need is to do that personal work.
Take the time to explore.
Don’t just create goals like “I want to make a billion dollars.”
Start with goals to answer questions about yourself:
What do you value?
For me, I value people.
I value making a difference.
I value my relationship with God.
I value generosity and fitness.
Also ask yourself about your “why.”
Why do you want a high net worth?
What will you do with that money?
This will probably be tied to your values.
My big “why” is to end modern day human slavery in the world.
There are almost 50 million human slaves today, and the number continues to get worse.3
It’s important to pursue what you’re here on this earth to do.
Oftentimes, it’s not simply a job that’s getting in the way of you living the life you want.
It’s about your ability to be financially free.
Without vision or a sense of purpose in our life, we perish.
For example, mortality rates increase by 1% to 2% annually after a person retires.
A possible explanation lies in the person pulling out of the life force.4
When they lose that routine and that meaning, they might also lose a sense of true purpose.
This is why it is so important to find your passions!
If you’re stuck in your job, focus on finding those passions.
Chase that purpose.
When you do, you’ll be shocked at how it’ll impact your entire life.
Now I want to hear from you!
Where are you on the 3-Cycle Model?
Let us know in the comments.
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Disclaimer: I am not your investment advisor. This is for educational purposes only. I am not giving specific advice on what you can do. I am simply giving my opinions.
Works Cited
1. “The Price of Financial Happiness? $1.2 Million.” Empower, November 8, 2023. https://www.empower.com/the-currency/money/research-financial-happiness.
2. “Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Joyful Life.” The Government of Japan – JapanGov -, February 29, 2024. https://www.japan.go.jp/kizuna/2022/03/ikigai_japanese_secret_to_a_joyful_life.html.
3. “What Is Modern Slavery? | Anti-Slavery International.” Anti-Slavery. Accessed July 21, 2025. https://www.antislavery.org/slavery-today/modern-slavery/.
4. “Data Shows Retirement’s Negative Effect on Mortality Rates.” Data Shows Retirement’s Negative Effect on Mortality Rates – Purdue Business. Accessed July 21, 2025. https://business.purdue.edu/news/features/2022/retirement.php.
