There Is Nothing Worse Than Feeling Lost

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TOM@RICHHABITS.NET

Feeling lost is a silent killer. It gnaws at your soul, drains your energy, and keeps you trapped in cycles of poverty and regret. My Rich Habits research—five years studying 233 self-made millionaires and 128 poor individuals—reveals a stark truth: 79% of the wealthy discovered and pursued a clear main purpose in life, compared to just 11% of the poor. That gap isn’t luck. It’s direction. Purpose isn’t a luxury for the privileged—it’s the lifeline that pulls you from the abyss, even when you’re drowning in debt, despair, or dead-end jobs.

The data is brutal but illuminating. In my book, Rich Habits: The Routines Millionaires Use Daily That Will Help You Build Wealth, I found that 88% of millionaires work in fields they love or feel passionate about. They didn’t start rich. 27% grew up in poverty, yet they found their calling through relentless self-education and experimentation — 94% read at least 30 minutes daily, often biographies of those who rose from nothing.

A Forbes article on my research noted that many millionaires spent years “lost” in wrong careers before a failure or mentor forced them to pivot and change directions in their career. One self-made millionaire in this Forbes article was a former janitor turned real estate mogul. He said his turning point came at 35, when he was broke, divorced, and cleaning toilets. He had read Think and Grow Rich and realized his love for fixing things could become a business.

Harvard’s 80-year Grant Study—the longest on human development—confirms that a sense of purpose predicts financial success, health, and longevity. Those who lack it drift. Those who find it thrive.

As reported in a Business Insider article covering my work, 76% of millionaires mentor others, often guiding lost souls toward purpose because they remember what it was like when they were in the void.

So how do you find your calling when bills are overdue and hope is gone?

Step 1: Track what excites you—even small things. My research shows millionaires spend 85% of their time on activities tied to their core strengths or doing things they like or love. Write down moments you felt “in flow.” A CNBC Rich Habits piece emphasized this: one millionaire discovered her purpose selling handmade jewelry at flea markets while working three jobs. Poverty didn’t stop her—it forced her to look inward and focus on building additional revenue streams doing something she liked.

Step 2: Experiment Ruthlessly. The rich fail forward. 44% of millionaires failed at least once in business, but used those scars to pivot. Try side hustles, volunteer, take free courses. As I shared in a SUCCESS Magazine interview, “Unsuccessful people wait for doors to open. Successful people knock on many doors.”

Step 3: Surround Yourself with Climbers. 84% of wealth is influenced by your reference group, per my data echoed in Yahoo Finance. Join masterminds, online forums, or mentorship programs. One study participant escaped poverty by attending free real estate meetups—now he owns 42 units.

Step 4: Commit to Daily Growth. 88% of millionaires read for self-improvement. Start with 10 pages a day. Knowledge compounds. Purpose emerges.

Feeling lost isn’t permanent—it’s a signal. The abyss of poverty amplifies it, but also sharpens your hunger. My own family lost everything in a fire when I was nine. That pain birthed this research. Your struggle isn’t punishment—it’s preparation.

You’re not behind. You’re being forged. Find the work that makes time vanish. Serve others through it. Build skills daily. The success track isn’t hidden—it’s built, one deliberate step at a time, by those brave enough to stop drifting and start directing.

There is nothing worse than feeling lost.

But everything in your life gets better when you find your path in life.

Tom Corley

Tom Corley is an accountant, financial planner, public speaker, and author of the books “Effort-Less Wealth: Smart Money Habits At Every Stage of Your Life” and “RichKids: How to Raise Our Children to Be Happy and Successful in Life“.  Corley’s work has appeared on CNN, USA Today, The Huffington Post, SUCCESS Magazine, and many other media outlets and podcasts in the U.S. and 27 other countries. Tom is a frequent contributor to Business Insider and CNBC.