pace matters just as much as finding your why
You’ve found it.
Your purpose. Your calling. The thing that makes you come alive.
And yet… you’re exhausted.
You don’t hate what you do. You hate how you feel while doing it.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
The myth we’ve been sold
We’ve been told the formula is simple:
Find your purpose → Find your happiness
But I’ve worked with so many people who loved their work and were still burning out.
Creative professionals. Driven achievers. People doing meaningful things.
All of them thought something was wrong with them.
But nothing was wrong.
They’d just been given an incomplete map.
What was missing?
Purpose gives you direction.
But it doesn’t tell you how fast to run.
I once worked with someone who landed her dream role. Everything she wanted on paper.
Within months, she was drained.
She didn’t need a different job.
She needed a different pace.
Your nervous system doesn’t care about your goals
Even if you’re on the right path, the wrong pace will drain you.
Here’s what happens:
When we’re constantly in high gear, our body gets stuck in fight-or-flight mode.
Polyvagal theory shows us that our nervous system cycles between states—calm, mobilization, and shutdown.
But when we never slow down, we don’t give our body time to recover.
That’s why: – Sleep suffers – Creativity shrinks – Everything feels like survival
Even meaningful work starts feeling like you’re running on a treadmill that never stops.
The 3P Framework
Over years of research, classroom work, and my own lived experience, I developed a framework that bridges this gap.
I call it the 3P Framework: Purpose, Pace, and Peace.
Purpose — Your direction. What matters to you.
Pace — The rhythm at which you move toward it.
Peace — The foundation that makes it all sustainable.
These three work together.
Purpose without pace leads to burnout.
Pace without purpose feels aimless.
And without peace? Neither one lasts.
A pause for you
Take a breath right now.
Ask yourself:
Am I breathing, moving, and living at a pace that feels human?
Or am I just… running?
Three small shifts that change everything
You don’t need to overhaul your life.
You need to adjust your rhythm.
Here are three practices that transform how people move through their days:
1. The Pace Audit
Once a week, check in:
Am I breathing deeply?
Am I moving my body?
Am I eating like a human, not a machine?
Then adjust one thing.
Maybe it’s a longer lunch break.
Maybe it’s a stretch between tasks.
Maybe it’s a short walk.
Small changes in pace create space for peace.
2. Energy Budgeting
Think of your energy like currency.
Notice what fuels you. What drains you. What’s neutral.
Research on decision fatigue shows that scattered commitments drain your motivation and clarity.
So budget intentionally.
Spend most of your energy on what lights you up—
People, projects, and activities that feel aligned.
3. The Weekly No
Every week, say no to one thing that doesn’t align.
Just one.
Watch how that single choice creates space.
Space you didn’t know you needed.
Boundaries aren’t selfish.
They protect your pace so you can reach toward your purpose with more peace.
Peace isn’t the reward. It’s the foundation.
We’ve been taught to think of peace as something we earn at the finish line.
But that’s backwards.
Peace is what you build from.
Not what you arrive at.
Success isn’t just about how much you achieve.
It’s about how alive and aligned you feel while achieving it.
A different question
Instead of asking: How do I do more?
Try: How do I move differently?
Not slower, necessarily.
Just… more intentionally.
With rhythm. With breath. With space.
Watch: Purpose, Pace, and Peace
I made a short video unpacking this framework—why pace is just as critical as purpose, and how small shifts create sustainable change.
It’s research-backed, practically tested, and designed to help you slow down without losing momentum.
Until next time…
…notice your pace this week.
Not to judge it.
Just to feel it.
Your body knows when the rhythm is off.
Sometimes we just need to listen.
A note on this framework:
The 3P Framework emerged from years of integrating research, professional practice, and personal experience. I developed it to make complex ideas more practical—to bridge the gap between aspiration and sustainability. It’s something I’ve refined over time through working with others and my own journey as a holistic wellness educator.
If this framework resonates with you, I’d love to hear how you’re working with your own pace. Share your reflections in the comments below.
Sources & Further Reading
The 3P Framework is grounded in research from psychology, neuroscience, and wellness science:
Nervous System Regulation (Polyvagal Theory by Dr. Stephen Porges):
Decision Fatigue & Energy Management (Decision Fatigue Research):
Burnout & Sustainable Performance (Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily and Amelia Nagoski):
Burnout & Sustainable Performance (The Role of Recovery in Performance):
Boundaries & Energy (Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab):
These sources provide the foundation for understanding how purpose, pace, and peace work together to create sustainable, meaningful lives.
