The Leadership Habit How to Make a Purpose Pivot: Finding Balance and Fulfillment with Melissa Gonzalez
In this episode of The Leadership Habit Podcast, host Jenn DeWall talks with Melissa Gonzalez, retail strategist, experiential designer, and author of The Purpose Pivot. Together, they explore how professionals and leaders can reconnect with what truly drives them—realigning their work, energy, and values to create a more fulfilling life.
Gonzalez’s insights go beyond traditional career advice. She challenges the belief that constant busyness equals success and offers a practical roadmap for creating balance, purpose, and sustainable growth. Whether you’re leading a team or navigating your own next chapter, this conversation invites reflection on what it means to live and lead with intention.
Why Every Leader Needs a Purpose Pivot
Many leaders are running on autopilot—meeting after meeting, day after day—without pausing to ask if their actions truly align with their goals. In the podcast, Melissa Gonzalez explains that a purpose pivot is about stepping back, taking inventory, and asking: Am I creating the life I want to lead?
Her inspiration for The Purpose Pivot came after a personal health crisis that forced her to slow down and reassess her priorities. Through that experience, she realized that wellbeing isn’t something to fit in “after work”—it must be part of how we lead and live every day.
“Wellbeing shouldn’t be a side project,” Gonzalez says. “It deserves equal importance to your career growth.”
The purpose pivot is about moving from busyness to impact—recognizing that filling your calendar isn’t the same as creating value. For leaders, this often means shifting from the mindset of doing more to doing what matters most.
Overcoming the Challenge of Prioritizing Wellbeing
Despite knowing the importance of rest and reflection, many high achievers still struggle to prioritize themselves. Gonzalez explains that this difficulty stems from how success is often measured—by how much we accomplish, not by how intentionally we live.
She encourages professionals to ask key questions:
- Does this activity energize me or deplete me?
- Am I working out of obligation or genuine purpose?
- What would happen if I made space for reflection instead of rushing to the next task?
In her book, Gonzalez includes an exercise where readers list what energizes them versus what drains them. This simple reflection often reveals patterns—time spent on tasks that deplete energy far outweighs the time spent on what brings joy or motivation.
Taking time to reflect doesn’t slow progress—it fuels it. By giving yourself permission to pause, you create mental clarity, emotional balance, and stronger decision-making capacity.
Building Trust in Yourself and Your Team
As Gonzalez explains, purpose-driven leadership is rooted in trust—trust in others and trust in yourself.
Many leaders resist delegating because they fear losing control or worry others won’t deliver at the same level. This lack of trust leads to burnout and exhaustion. True leadership, Gonzalez says, involves trusting your team to rise to the occasion while also trusting that you don’t have to carry everything alone.
Jenn and Melissa also discuss self-trust, which can be even harder to cultivate. Self-trust means believing that you’ve prepared enough, done enough, and can let go when necessary. It’s recognizing when additional effort will no longer change the outcome and giving yourself grace to rest.
Learning to delegate and release control not only improves wellbeing—it helps leaders model healthy behavior for their teams. When leaders demonstrate balance and confidence, others feel permission to do the same.
How to Make Your Own Purpose Pivot
Making a purpose pivot isn’t about quitting your job or overhauling your life overnight. It’s about intentionally adjusting how you spend your time and energy so that your daily actions reflect your long-term goals.
Melissa Gonzalez outlines several strategies to begin this journey:
- Pause and Reflect. Schedule moments of quiet to check in with yourself. Reflection is not a luxury—it’s the foundation for clarity and creativity.
- Define Your Why. As Simon Sinek famously said, knowing your “why” brings direction and motivation. Identify what excites you and where you feel most fulfilled.
- Set Boundaries. Protect time for thinking, rest, and relationships. Saying no to what doesn’t align is an act of leadership.
- Celebrate Small Wins. Break large goals into milestones—25%, 50%, 75%—and celebrate each one. Progress builds confidence and momentum.
- Trust the Process. Growth takes time. Learn to let go of perfection and embrace progress instead.
A purpose pivot is not about doing everything—it’s about focusing on what’s most meaningful.
The Power of Reflection and Recalibration
One of the most powerful lessons from The Purpose Pivot is the importance of reflection. Gonzalez reminds us that most leaders don’t stop long enough to acknowledge how far they’ve come. Without reflection, progress can feel invisible, leaving even accomplished professionals feeling stuck or unfulfilled.
By pausing to celebrate small achievements, you reinforce your sense of purpose and prevent burnout. Gonzalez also emphasizes that transitions are recalibration moments—opportunities to reassess what’s working and what needs to change. Whether you’re starting a new role, leading a new team, or entering a new phase of life, these transitions offer a chance to adjust, grow, and realign.
Where to Find More From Melissa Gonzalez
- Visit MelissaGonzalez.com
- Connect on LinkedIn
- Buy her book: The Purpose Pivot
Leadership Growth Through Purpose: The Crestcom Connection
At Crestcom, we believe that the most effective leaders combine professional competence with personal awareness. Leadership isn’t just about achieving results—it’s about understanding yourself and guiding others with purpose, empathy, and authenticity.
Crestcom’s leadership training programs are designed to help leaders make their own purpose pivot. Through monthly learning experiences, practical action plans, and accountability coaching, participants learn to balance ambition with wellbeing—creating teams that thrive on trust, collaboration, and continuous growth.
Like Melissa Gonzalez’s message, Crestcom’s approach to leadership development centers on reflection and application. Leaders are encouraged to identify what energizes them, build emotional intelligence, and focus on meaningful impact instead of mere activity. The result is not just better leaders—but stronger organizations and healthier workplace cultures.
Take the First Step Toward Purpose-Driven Leadership
A purpose pivot isn’t a one-time event—it’s an ongoing practice of alignment between your values, goals, and actions. As Melissa Gonzalez reminds us, success isn’t about how much you do, but about how intentionally you live and lead.
Listen to the full episode of The Leadership Habit Podcast featuring Melissa Gonzalez to discover how to make your own purpose pivot and begin leading with clarity and confidence.
Ready to explore your own leadership journey? Visit crestcom.com/freeworkshop and request a complimentary leadership workshop for your team!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a purpose pivot?
A purpose pivot is a moment when you pause, reflect, and realign your career or leadership approach to better match your values and long-term goals.
How can leaders balance success and wellbeing?
By redefining productivity, setting boundaries, delegating effectively, and prioritizing self-care alongside professional achievement.
Why does self-trust matter in leadership?
Self-trust allows leaders to make confident decisions, delegate without guilt, and recover from setbacks with resilience.
How can Crestcom help me grow as a purpose-driven leader?
The Crestcom L.E.A.D.R. program helps leaders develop emotional intelligence, communication skills, and self-awareness through experiential learning and accountability.
The post How to Make a Purpose Pivot: Finding Balance and Fulfillment with Melissa Gonzalez appeared first on Crestcom International.