My wife and I were at the car dealership the other day, shopping for a truck. After a little small talk, the salesman asked about our business, and we told him we were taking it on the road for the year, which was why we were considering buying a truck. He was probably in his late fifties, maybe early sixties. As soon as we said that, he started telling us all about his plans to retire, buy the Winnebago, and travel the country. He had the map, the dream, and the speech memorized. I’ve heard this story a hundred times… and I’m sure he had told the story a hundred times.

It feels good to talk about all the plans we have for our lives, but the sad reality is that very few people will ever do the things they say they want to do, even if they truly believe it’s what they want. It’s human nature to say one thing but fail to do what it takes to make those plans reality—because plans without execution are sure to fail.

So I asked him a simple question: “What would it look like if you figured out a way to retire early?” He smiled, like I had just said something cute but impossible. Then he paused, seemingly uncomfortable with the reality behind that question, and said, “Nah, I’m a workaholic. I love what I do.”

I nodded, but inside I could see it plain as day—the man was exhausted, overweight, and unhealthy. His body was breaking down, his spirit was fading, and his “someday” dream was nothing more than an illusion keeping him from facing the truth. So in typical fashion, I smiled and jokingly said, “So ‘someday you’ll travel the country’ really means never?” He quickly rebutted, saying no, it’s gonna happen—he just wanted to make sure he had enough money tucked away.

He wasn’t in love with work. He was afraid of what would happen if he stopped, but he used his “love for work” as a narrative that made him feel better about himself because deep down he knows—it’s never going to happen. Just like most people today, fear, insecurity, and confusion about what they really want drives their daily decisions.

The Workaholic Lie

Let’s be honest—most people don’t love their work. They love feeling needed. They love the illusion of control. The illusion of security. The praise they receive from their customers, clients, peers, or employees. They love the dopamine hit that comes from “being busy.” But workaholism is not passion—it’s avoidance disguised as purpose.

It’s easier to bury yourself in productivity than to sit in silence and ask the real questions: Who am I without this title? Why do I need to prove my worth through performance? What am I afraid of losing if I slow down?

That salesman’s answer wasn’t unique. It’s the same orphan mindset that keeps millions of men grinding themselves into an early grave—building kingdoms of dust because they don’t know who they are without their hustle. They talk about freedom, but their hands are chained to fear.

False Belief #1: “If I Stop Working, I’ll Lose My Purpose.”

That lie is killing people faster than cigarettes and whiskey. And as the old adage goes, everyone will die, but very few will ever truly live. Somewhere along the line, culture convinced us that our doing defines our being—that our worth is tied to output, that “success” is proof that we matter.

But Jesus didn’t live that way. He finished His assignment in three and a half years. He never hustled for approval or chased validation from crowds. He worked from identity, not for it. He didn’t build an empire on earth—He built people (though He was building an eternal empire in the real Kingdom). He didn’t push Himself to burnout—He withdrew to rest. He didn’t strive for more—He walked in perfect alignment with the Father.

When you’re aligned, you don’t have to grind. When you’re led, you don’t have to prove. If you think you’ll lose purpose by stopping, you never had it in the first place—you had performance addiction.

False Belief #2: “My Dreams Will Happen Someday.”

“Someday” is the graveyard of potential. The salesman at that dealership had his whole dream life mapped out—every mile, every destination, every sunset he’d chase after retirement. But here’s the truth: he won’t make it. Not because God doesn’t want him to—but because he’s been lying to himself for too long.

His body won’t hold up. His mind won’t slow down. And his heart won’t believe he deserves rest because he’s been programmed to equate rest with laziness. If you keep saying “someday,” what you’re really saying is “not yet.” And “not yet” becomes “never” for most people.

You don’t drift into destiny—you decide into it. The future you talk about won’t magically arrive. It only exists if you have the courage to walk toward it today. Otherwise, you’ll keep trading the life you were born for in exchange for the comfort of the life you’ve settled for. Fear dresses itself up as logic. It whispers, “Be practical. Be patient. Play it safe.” But the Kingdom doesn’t run on logic—it runs on obedience. As a mentor once said, big dream, small dream, or no dream at all... it’s all the same price. Your life.

False Belief #3: “I’m Fine.”

This one’s deadly. When I looked at that man, I could tell he wasn’t fine. His body was inflamed. His eyes were tired. His spirit was restless. But he kept smiling, saying he loved what he did—the same way a drowning man says he’s fine because admitting he’s sinking would take too much humility.

We live in a generation that’s mastered pretending. Pretending they’re okay. Pretending they’re fulfilled. Pretending they’ll live long enough to enjoy the dream. But you can’t fake alignment. You can’t fool your body, your soul, or your Creator.

Ignoring your health, your family, your inner peace—all in the name of “doing what you love”—is self-deception. You’re not fine. You’re fatigued, disconnected, and afraid to face the truth that you’re wasting years you’ll never get back.

Jesus Was Not a Workaholic

Let’s get this straight—Jesus wasn’t lazy. He was productive. But His productivity came from presence, not pressure. He withdrew often. He rested intentionally. He never panicked about provision. He wasn’t chasing results—He was revealing reality.

He finished His work because He knew when to stop. That’s what most people don’t understand: unfinished obedience is still disobedience, but unceasing work is also disobedience. The Father rested after creation, not because He was tired, but because He was complete. Completion is a spiritual posture. Workaholism is proof you haven’t found it yet.

A Hard Truth

If you’re reading this and you’ve been postponing your dreams, lying to yourself about your health, or hiding behind busyness—this is your wake-up call. You might not have three to seven years left like that salesman thinks he does. You don’t know how much time you have—but you do know what obedience feels like. You do know when you’re misaligned. You’ve been called to create, not to cope. To live, not to wait. To walk in sonship, not slavery.

A Call to Alignment

It’s time to stop worshiping work. It’s time to stop calling fear “responsibility.” It’s time to stop future-casting your freedom and start living it. Jesus was not a workaholic—and neither were you meant to be.

Your worth isn’t in your sales quota, your schedule, or your success story. It’s in your alignment with the Father. And from that alignment, everything else flows—peace, provision, power, and purpose.

That’s why we started The Outlier Council—for people who are tired of claiming “someday” they’ll do the thing, and are ready to finally get the equipping they need to start today.

If you’re ready to stop postponing purpose and start walking in clarity, confidence, and the courage to live in divine alignment, learn more about how to join us inside The Outlier Council.

Because the truth is, you’re not just one decision away from a better life—you’re one breakthrough away from the life you were created to live.