The reason you don’t want a beach house

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Have you ever watched the show Outer Banks?

The first season came out in April of 2020, and ever since I’ve been hooked.

(If you are looking for a fun, summery, adventurous show, I’d highly recommend)

I bring up the show because it sparked one of my long-time goals…

Owning a beach house.

Watching the show, I was allured by the lives of the Pogues (the group of main characters).

The Pogues spend their days on hot summer beaches, surf gnarly waves, and take boats out to explore the open water.

So I made a decision:

Someday, I’ll own a house on the ocean and live that life myself.

For a while, that dream motivated me in my work. But recently, I’ve started questioning whether owning a beach house is actually my true goal.

It all started by asking myself one question:

No.

I would not be fulfilled. Why? Because as much as I’d love to own a beach house, it’s not what I’m really working towards.

If I started living in that house right now, it would feel… empty.

Empty because I wouldn’t have earned it. Empty because it would literally be empty. I would own my dream beach house, but I wouldn’t have anyone to share it with.

My friends would still be scattered across the country, working full-time jobs. And I’d be left wondering what I was chasing in the first place.

On the surface, I thought I wanted the Outer Banks lifestyle — the adventure, the freedom, the glamour.

But beneath the surface, I wanted something more meaningful.

What actually inspired me wasn’t the house.

It was the Pogue’s camaraderie. The friendship. The shared pursuit of something meaningful.

The glamour is only as good as the journey that gets you there.

So what’s my real goal?

I want to build things that matter.

I want to create products and services that make a positive impact on the world, while helping me and the people I care about grow and succeed.

And when all is said and done, I’d love that success to come with a full, vibrant beach house filled with the people I love.

For years, I stopped at the surface of my goal. But surface-level goals only get you so far.

If you don’t understand why you set a goal, you may reach it and feel… nothing.

That’s why I challenge you to take your own goals one step deeper.

Ask yourself:

Understanding the real motivation behind your goals changes everything.

It opens up new paths to reach them. It makes the journey more meaningful. And it ensures that when you arrive, it actually matters.

Because if your goal is just to “own a beach house,” it becomes a number on a Zillow listing.

But if your goal is to live a life filled with purpose, connection, and impact — now you’re building something much bigger.

So don’t stop at the surface. Dive deeper. That’s where the good stuff lives.

🌱 This week’s step worth taking

1. Identify a surface level goal that you’ve set (last week’s issue might help).

2. Write it down.

3. Ask yourself why you set it and what deeper motivation might lie underneath.

4. Reflect.

5. Rewrite the goal, but go a little bit deeper.

📚 Worth the Read Watch

Mixing it up today with a couple of short video recommendations:

• What Actually Matters in Your 20s by Nischa (10 min) — 6 things that actually matter in your 20s (the 4th thing she mentions might sound familiar 👀)

• Daily Habits for Increasing Grit & Resilience by Michael Easter and Dr. Andrew Huberman (16 min) — learn about why small things are important, the value of boredom, and more

🔄 Misstep of the week

Over the Fourth of July weekend, my family hosted a big get-together. Cousins, aunts, and uncles — you know the drill.

One morning, some of my cousins invited me to a coffee shop run.

I don’t drink coffee, so I passed.

Looking back, I wish I’d gone.

The invite wasn’t really about coffee. It was about connection, stepping away from the chaos to spend intentional time with people I rarely see.

Next time, I’ll say yes.

Even if I just get a muffin 😋

🙌 Step Spotlight

Graduating college and moving across the country are two major life transitions. Eric is doing both right now.

Over the past few months, Eric has said goodbye to close friends from college and from the summer camp where he’s worked for years. Later this month, he starts a new job in a city he’s never lived in.

Before making the move, Eric volunteered at camp one last time — a decision he said brought him clarity, closure, and fulfillment.

It also reminded him that this new chapter is real. It’s happening. And it’s his to shape.

We’re cheering you on Eric 📣

Want to be featured in next week’s Step Spotlight? Respond to this issue with a step you’ve taken that you’re proud of.

Until next week.

Step by step,

Nathan

P.S. Just because I’m working toward more than a beach house doesn’t mean I can’t still dream about one. Which style do you like more:

🏠 House 1 | 🏡 House 2

Reply and let me know. I’m team House 2.

Follow along with steps I’m taking on
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