Purpose, Mindset, and the Power of Daily Growth

There’s a quiet moment many of us face - a moment when the noise of our day fades, and we find ourselves asking: Is this really all I’m meant for?

I’ve lived that question…more than once! And that’s why my conversation with Ray Yenkana felt less like an interview and more like a masterclass in navigating change, building resilience, and creating a life of meaning.

Ray’s insights aren’t just theory - they’re practical wisdom. His words are a roadmap for anyone standing at the edge of growth, wondering how to take the next step.

Find Your Purpose First - Then Build the Right Mindset

“Once you identify your definite major purpose in life, everything begins with cultivating a positive mental attitude around it.” Ray Yenkana

For years, I waited to know my purpose as if it’ll strike like lightning. What I learned was that it’s often present in us quietly as a persistent nudge or as a deep knowing. We discover our purpose through curiosity about what excites us and build it through action.

When I finally aligned my work with what truly mattered to me most - helping leaders navigate challenges/change with clarity and integrity - everything shifted. My mindset began to serve my mission instead of sabotaging it.

Practical Step:

Write a one-line purpose statement. Then ask: What beliefs support this purpose? What beliefs sabotage it? Replace the latter with affirmations grounded in growth and courage.

Desire vs. Discipline: What It Really Takes to Grow

“Many want results but few commit to doing the work that results demand.” - Ray Yenkana

Desire might open the door, but only discipline walks you through it. I’ve seen this truth in every leader I coach and in myself. I once dreamed of giving keynote speeches. I had notes in a dozen journals, a folder on my laptop titled “Someday,” and a deep ache to live my purpose. But for years, nothing happened because dreaming isn’t the same as doing.

It wasn’t until I signed up for Maxwell Leadership where I received guidance to create my first speech and then ongoing support and feedback that gave me the confidence to deliver my first keynote. 

That’s the heart of personal growth - doing the hard, hidden work that no one claps for… yet.

Practical Step:

Choose one outcome you desire. Break it into weekly actions. Then ask: What structure will help me stay consistent? Who can keep me accountable even when motivation fades?

You Become Your Circle: Choose It with Intention

“You become the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”- Ray Yenkana

After relocating to the U.S., I found myself surrounded with people but deeply disconnected. I had colleagues but no community. I didn’t realize how much that isolation was dulling my vision and dimming my voice until I reconnected with people who reflected my growth back to me.

Leadership development mindset starts with surrounding yourself with people who challenge and uplift you.

Practical Step:

Audit your “influence circle.” Who fills your energy? Who drains it? Curate your circle with intention.

Growth Compounds: Small Habits Create Big Shifts

“Everything in life compounds - habits, growth, relationships.” - Ray Yenkana

We underestimate the power of tiny daily choices. I started a 5-minute journaling habit years ago. It felt insignificant. But over time, it became my most reliable tool for self-awareness and clarity. Growth doesn't always announce itself…it accumulates.

Practical Step:

Pick one small habit aligned with your purpose (journaling, meditation, reading). Track your consistency for 30 days. Notice what changes.

We Absorb More Than We Realize: The Power of Influence

“We’re deeply shaped by the people around us - their words, actions, and examples.”- Ray Yenkana

Some of the most impactful lessons I’ve ever learned were never explicitly taught. They were modeled. A mentor once taught me the power of presence simply by how she listened. Years later, her unspoken influence still lives in how I coach and facilitate.

That’s the thing about influence: some of our greatest lessons aren’t taught - they’re caught.

Practical Step:

Reflect: Who’s modeling the kind of leader, parent, or partner you want to be? What would you like to absorb from them? How does it show up in you today?

The Best Investment? Yourself.

“If I invest $10K in skill development, I become more productive for my family.” - Ray Yenkana

I used to feel guilty about investing in myself. Now I see it as an act of responsibility - not just for me, but for those I lead and love. Courses, coaching, retreats - they stretch my capacity and ripple out to every client, team, and family member I serve.

Self-investment for success isn’t indulgent - it’s foundational for sustainable impact.

Practical Step:

Create a personal growth budget. Allocate resources (time, money, energy) toward one area that will stretch you.

Learn from the Best to Accelerate Your Growth

“In any area you want to grow, seek out the best thinkers and immerse yourself in their ideas.” - Ray Yenkana

When I first became aware of applied neuroscience and its impact personal and professional growth, I was fascinated by how human beings are gifted with special abilities to adapt to challenging life experiences through mental, emotional and behavioral flexibility. Through books, articles and teaching platforms from some of the best minds in Applied Neuroscience, I learned that by making adjustment in our demanding lives - by clarifying and prioritizing our goals, we can adapt successfully to challenges and change. I wasn’t sure what I’d do with the knowledge, but I knew I needed to understand the brain behind behavior.

That curiosity built a foundation I now use every day in my coaching and teaching. Exposure precedes expansion.

Learning from the best is key to developing a leadership mindset grounded in both evidence and empathy.

Practical Step:

Pick a growth topic. Follow three experts. Read, watch, or listen to one piece of content a week. Let it challenge your current view.

Expand Your Lens by Stepping Outside Your Echo Chamber

“Growth begins when you expose yourself to ideas you haven’t yet considered.” - Ray Yenkana

One of the most powerful growth moments I’ve had was in a group of people who didn’t think like me. Their questions made me uncomfortable and that discomfort birthed insight. Curiosity is often the catalyst for transformation.

Practical Step:

Ask someone with a different worldview what they’re learning. Just listen. Let discomfort teach you something new.

The Heart of Coaching: Ask Better Questions

“A true coach doesn’t offer answers…they offer better questions.” - Ray Yenkana

Coaching is less about guiding and more about revealing. One question can shift an entire perspective. I’ve seen clients who have been stuck for years get unstuck through a single reflection.

For me that one question was, “How are you being less in what you were created for?”

Coaching for transformation isn’t about advice - it’s about access to deeper awareness.

Practical Step:

Next time you feel tempted to offer advice, pause. Ask a question instead. Watch what emerges.

Transformation is Mutual: The Coach Evolves Too

“Coaching doesn’t just change the client…it changes the coach as well.” - Ray Yenkana

Every client I work with teaches me something. Their courage becomes my reminder…their reflections become my mirror. That’s the beauty of this work, it’s a two-way transformation.

Practical Step:

After each meaningful conversation, be it with a colleague or friend, journal: What did I learn about myself through their story?

Clarity in Crisis: Focus on What Matters Most

“When facing adversity, clarity comes from identifying your top priorities.” - Ray Yenkana

When life felt like it was falling apart, I was once asked, “What two things would make today feel successful?” That question grounded me. Even though it was slow, it helped me move forward. During times of struggle, simplicity is strength.

Practical Step:

Each morning, write down your top 1–2 priorities. Let everything else take a back seat.

Live Without Regret

“Don’t hesitate. You have one life. Don’t leave it filled with ‘what ifs’.” - Ray Yenkana

I’ve seen how hesitation turns into regret. In clients…in families…in my own life. We don’t get time back. And the cost of staying stuck is always greater than the risk of stepping forward.

The cost of hesitation is often invisible until it’s not.

Practical Step:

Write down one thing you’ve been hesitating on. Then ask: What’s the cost of not doing it?

Final Reflection: You Don’t Need a Giant Leap…Just the Next Right Step

Ray’s wisdom reminded me that transformation isn’t a one-time event. It’s a daily decision. To show up…to stay curious…to grow on purpose.

You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to begin.

Much love,

Reena Suri