Purpose Driven // From Hustle to Heart

From Hustle to Heart: Rediscovering What Matters Most

By: Matt D. Zimmerman

I walked through the front door after another long Tuesday at work. Five minutes into supper, my phone rang. By the time I hung up—an hour and a half later—my family had eaten alone. I realized then: my family mattered less than a sale…again. That moment marked the beginning of a hard question I could no longer ignore: Was I really living for my family or just for work? 

In a world full of distractions, uncertainty, and constant change, it’s easy to drift through life on autopilot—checking boxes, chasing success, or going with the flow. But beneath all of that, many of us crave something deeper: a sense of meaning, direction, and fulfillment

It all began when I became a young married man. Fatherhood came very fast, and with it the weight of responsibility. I loved my family deeply and leaned in to make it all happen. But providing for them meant hustling nonstop—something I was taught at a young age. I picked up extra hours working for an irrigation company and jumped on opportunities to install irrigation systems on the side. The goal was simple: survive. 

Several years went by. I realized that, to provide for this growing family, I needed something more. So, at the age of 26, with 2 children and 1 on the way, I enrolled in college. I kept my day job and left for night classes at 6 pm after eating supper on the run, then worked on homework until midnight, only to rise before dawn for the next day’s work. Three years later with a diploma showing I met the requirements, I started my new career at Big Yellow (CAT). Exciting times! New opportunities with stability and more! Rather than coasting through the new job, my earthly desires and habits pushed me to make a little more. I started my own business selling outdoor wood furnaces and partnered with a friend grinding tree stumps…because I thought we needed more. Providing became my identity. 

What I didn’t realize was that my pursuit of ‘stuff’ for myself and my family had masked my primary role as a father. Instead, I was missing out on the game of tag, pushing my children on a swing, taking them fishing, quality quiet time with my wife and much, much more! My children were growing up with a dad who was physically present, at best, but emotionally and spiritually absent. 

20+ years later I started asking myself questions that I had long pushed aside: What am I really doing? Is this what God made me for? Have I just been existing? Maybe it was this thing called a midlife crisis, though I really didn’t have a desire for a bright red Corvette or a new head of hair. What I desired was fulfilment in my work AND my personal life. So, I sold my side business and sought direction from God on what I should do or where I should go. He opened a conversation and ultimately an opportunity to come work here. I knew about the good things at Nussbaum; the people, the culture, the FOOD, but never did I think I would leave CAT. That was who I was. I was a career man—retire at 55 and relax with a great pension! What else could you ask for?

God has shown me that there is much more in life than that. While transitioning to this job was a big deal for this 52-year-old man (and his wife), God showed me clearly that this was HIS will for my life! Nowadays I never wake up dreading coming to work or wondering my purpose in life. Rather I am thriving—not just professionally, but spiritually. I am reconnected with my adult children and learning to be present, intentional, and prayerful in my relationships. I know now that my worth doesn’t come from how many hours I work, or how big my paycheck is—but for who I am in Christ.  

I love Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” Even in the years I spent just surviving, God was working.  

And now, in this new season, God is leading me in a life of abundance—not in wealth, but in peace, in meaning, and in joy

So, are you chasing the proverbial golden carrot? Does life feel empty? Are you missing moments to engage—with your spouse, family, friends, co-workers? Are you craving for something you cannot attain? Take it from someone who has tried many of those things to find my purpose in life. You won’t find it there, because it’s found in Christ and in our relationships here on earth. Don’t miss out. 

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