Discovering Your Life’s Purpose: Darryl Stevens Of DIGITECH On How to Align Your Goals with Your True Self
An interview with Dr. Bharat Sangani
Reflect on Your Core Values. What really matters in life, your core values, will be the compass that will guide you. In the beginning of my career, I chased projects that ticked boxes on paper but weren’t projects of a fire in my belly, creativity and leading the charge on innovation. When I focused again on building genuine digital experiences, I experienced more traction and fulfillment. It also ensures that your goals resonate with your values, so they don’t feel forced and draining.
Finding and living in alignment with your true purpose can be a transformative journey. Yet, many struggle with identifying their life’s purpose and aligning their goals with it. In this series, we aim to explore how individuals discover their purpose and create a life that reflects their authentic selves, leading to greater fulfillment and success. As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Darryl Stevens.
Darryl is a naturally gifted creative visionary and businessman. He possesses the ability to see beyond conventional boundaries and transform chaos into order through innovation and creativity. As the founder & CEO of DIGITECH, he has attained self-taught mastery in the fields of web design, web development, and search engine optimization, armed only with a keyboard and a mouse. Darryl has been recognized as a contributor by Forbes and featured in Entrepreneur and Inc. Magazine.
Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?
My journey into web design, development and SEO wasn’t the conventional route, it was curiosity and a desire to bring something from scratch to life. With only a keyboard, mouse and an all-consuming thirst for knowledge, I taught myself everything I needed to know to turn ideas into reality on the web. I was fascinated by being able to create order from chaos, to take concepts and develop not only working solutions but also stunning interactive digital experiences.
I was able to pinpoint the tipping point where many companies were having difficulty bridging the divide between creative storytelling and technical performance. So that is why I started DIGITECH, where I was able to combine my passion for design, problem-solving and innovation and help other businesses to survive in the digital world. I have focused my career on what matters, being challenged, learning more and more, and seeking out the delivery of impactful solutions that make a difference.
None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person that you are grateful for, who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
My journey was shaped by the guidance of someone I started working with at the early stage of my career. This was a guy who had already tread the waters of entrepreneurship and offered insights that opened my eyes. There was a point when I was literally drained out trying to manage creative and operational work for DIGITECH. “Your creativity is your superpower, double down on that and hire a team to do the rest,” he said. That advice allowed me to step back and focus on what I was good at, on what I did best.
There’s one particular story that comes to mind where I found myself with a huge project, a tight deadline, and unrealistic expectations. My mentor told me to trust my gut and the people I had hired. By focusing on the collaboration and the bigger picture, we not only delivered but went above and beyond what the client envisioned. The lesson I took away from that moment was the power of trust and delegation of leadership, lessons that still inform my leadership style at DIGITECH.
You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Curiosity: asking why I am a naturally curious person and this drives me to ask questions and explore the “why” behind everything. I wanted to know, not just how websites looked, but how they worked in the early days of my career, what makes a website fast, easy to use and optimized. After hours spent comparing APIs and testing out effective design strategies, DIGITECH was born! Curiosity propels me to stay ahead of trends and tackle every project as if it is the first.
Resilience: Doing DIGITECH was not a one-way road. I lost a big client early on that I had worked hard to get. Monthly income dropped significantly, but I took that setback to refine our service delivery and diversify our client base, so that no one loss could leave us dangling. That experience showed me how to convert challenges into opportunities.
Adaptability: The online space is constantly evolving, and being adaptable has been vital to remaining on top. It was a time when major algorithm updates would kill a client’s SEO campaign. I could have nosedived into panic, but instead I used data and experimentation to pivot our strategy quickly and get us not only back on track, but out-performing our previous results. In being adaptable, no challenge is unbeatable and there’s always a way forward.
Ok, fantastic. Let’s now turn to the crux of our interview. Was there a defining moment or experience in your life when you felt a clear sense of your purpose? How did it influence the goals you set from that point forward?
Early in my career there was a defining moment when I found my purpose. I was doing a small project for a local business, a simple redesign of a website, when it clicked. The owner told me how meaningful it was for them to see their vision brought to life on the Internet, and it occurred to me my work could make a difference. I wasn’t merely building websites, I was enabling people to tell their stories and engage with their audiences in meaningful ways.
From that moment on, I was determined to build a company that combined creativity and functionality that helped businesses thrive in the digital space. It changed the way I went about my work. I focused on the “why” for each project and founded DIGITECH in itself to solve problems that matter. That sense of purpose still informs every decision I make.
What practical steps can someone take to begin uncovering their life’s purpose if they feel lost or unsure about their direction?
Curiosity and action are the first steps to discovering your life’s purpose. The best place to start, if you’re feeling lost, is to ask yourself what truly excites or challenges you, even if it seems small or not related to any big picture. Think about times you have felt most alive, what were you doing, and why did it matter to you? These moments typically contain clues about your passions.
After you get informed, start explorative and experimentational activities. Explore new activities, meet people in fields you’re interested in or offer your time with organizations that reflect your values. If you ask me, purpose is discovered through action, not rumination. To initiate those opportunities, I just dove into creative projects, even if I had no idea if they would lead anywhere.
Lastly, cultivate patience and adaptability. Purpose is not always one fixed destination, it changes as you grow. So trust that all the steps, even the missteps, are guiding you closer to clarity.
How do you differentiate between external pressures — like societal expectations — and the inner calling that aligns with your true self?
How do you distinguish between external expectations and your internal calling? Societal expectations are often embedded with a feeling of “should”, what you “should” do or achieve based on what others have done. Your higher purpose, by contrast, is true to you and invigorating, even when it is revolutionary.
This kind of clarity for me comes in asking: “Does this decision bring me closer to what I want to create, or is it about getting someone else’s seal of approval?” As we founded DIGITECH, there was the option to be conventional, model after other agencies, but I felt a calling inside myself to really push the envelope creatively, strategically, rhythmically, anything that just felt like me. Knowing and following that instinct, even when it was uncomfortable, has spurred real growth.
The trick is to take a break now and again, tune out the noise and reacquaint yourself with what really thrills and drives you. That is where your true self comes alive.
Can you share an example of a time when you adjusted or abandoned a goal because it no longer aligned with your deeper sense of purpose? What did you learn from that experience?
Absolutely. When I started my career, I had a landmark dream to grow DIGITECH to be among the biggest Digital agencies in the country. It sounded ambitious and exciting, but a few months down the line as we started scaling fast, I felt like something wasn’t sitting well. My obsession with size and volume began to take me away from what really mattered, producing great, valuable work, and nurturing true relationships with clients.
I chose to make a pivot, to prioritize meaningful growth, not just scale. So rather than chase volume, we worked on building deeper relationships with a smaller number of clients and creating transformational digital experiences. Not only was the quality of our work better, but this shift injected SO much more passion and creativity into everything we created.
What I found out is that goals need to change with your purpose. Pursuing an ambition that doesn’t resonate with your values is exhausting, but when you redirect your course, you can step into your true self and make a difference that endures.
What advice would you give to people trying to pursue their purpose while managing the demands of day-to-day life, such as work, family, and other responsibilities?
If you want your purpose to develop support systems, you must see that this goal can be done in stages. Purpose is not about life-changing events, it is about little but intentional actions every day that are aligned with what is most important to you. Start small, for now, carve out even 15 minutes a day to spend doing something that feeds the beast, whether it’s brainstorming ideas, building a skill, or meditating on your goals. In the long run, these small efforts add up to real progress.
Another important part is prioritization. You need to be sure of what you’re willing to say no to so you can say yes to what actually matters. For me, that meant setting up my day with some boundaries, time for work and family, but also chunks of focused time for my creative endeavors. Lastly, give yourself grace. Progress isn’t a straight line, and juggling responsibilities with pursuing a dream is no small task. Fulfillment is driven by consistency, not perfection.
What are “5 Ways to Align Your Goals With Your True Self”?
1. Reflect on Your Core Values
What really matters in life, your core values, will be the compass that will guide you. In the beginning of my career, I chased projects that ticked boxes on paper but weren’t projects of a fire in my belly, creativity and leading the charge on innovation. When I focused again on building genuine digital experiences, I experienced more traction and fulfillment. It also ensures that your goals resonate with your values, so they don’t feel forced and draining.
2. Define Success on Your Terms
Many people including society pressure us to conform to a set of standards for success, however we have to recognize that real alignment means defining success on your own terms. My success wasn’t measured by the number of projects I completed, but rather by the quality of the projects I completed and their impact. That frame helped me shape DIGITECH in a way that seemed personally significant and fit with my plans.
3. Be Honest About Your Strengths and Weaknesses
Understanding your true self means acknowledging both what you excel at and where you need support. I used to believe I had to do everything myself to succeed, but embracing collaboration allowed me to focus on my strengths while leveraging others’ expertise. This self-awareness transformed the way I set and achieved goals, ensuring I worked smarter, not harder.
4. Embrace Flexibility in Your Journey
Sometimes being aligned means being willing to change. I had once set a goal to grow DIGITECH quickly, only to realize further down the line that we were compromising quality with the pace. I stayed true to my principles and vision, and moving to a more deliberate growth strategy allowed me to focus on what was really going to get me results. Flexibility means that your goals will change as you change.
5. Celebrate Progress, Not Just Outcomes
The goal isn’t just getting to the destination, the goal is getting there and enjoying the ride. I hit milestones early in my career with no bandwidth to appreciate the journey. By celebrating the small victories, a creative breakthrough or positive feedback from a client, I found more joy and motivation in my work. This change helped me stay in touch with both my goals and my true self.
What advice would you give to people trying to pursue their purpose while managing the demands of day-to-day life, such as work, family, and other responsibilities?
I recommend that you pursue your purpose with intentionality, clarity and balance. Finding your purpose doesn’t mean giving up everything else in your life, it’s about incorporating it into your life on a day-to-day basis in a way that feels healthy and rewarding. Start by defining your “why.” When you know deeply why your purpose matters to you, it helps to make any decision about it, even when competing demands emerge.
One the best strategy is to carve out non-negotiable time for the things that fuel you. And whether that’s taking an hour first thing in the morning, using a quiet moment in the night, or even just dedicating an hour or two of your weekend, those consistent efforts compound. For instance, during my journey with DIGITECH, I made promises for small daily actions in line with my vision, even if it was to step back and reevaluate when life became distracting.
Just keep in mind that progress is progress, perfect isn’t the aim here. Be flexible, pursue your priorities, and have faith in the process.
How can our readers further follow your work?
Readers can follow my work online by connecting with me on LinkedIn. You can also explore the impactful projects we’re creating at DIGITECH by visiting our company website. Both platforms are great for staying updated on the latest trends, behind-the-scenes looks at our work, and actionable advice for navigating the ever-evolving digital landscape. Let’s connect and continue the conversation!
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
Thank you so much for the kind words! It’s been a pleasure sharing my thoughts, and I appreciate the opportunity to connect with your audience. Wishing you and you
About The Interviewer: Dr. Bharat Sangani is a cardiologist and entrepreneur with over 35 years of experience, practicing in Gulfport, Mississippi, and Dallas, Texas. Board-certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiology, he specializes in diagnosing, treating, and preventing cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and hypertension. In 1999, Dr. Sangani founded Encore Enterprises, a national real estate investment firm. Under his leadership, the company has executed transactions exceeding $2 billion, with a portfolio spanning residential, retail, hotel, and office developments. Known for his emphasis on integrity and fairness, Dr. Sangani has built Encore into a major player in the commercial real estate sector. Blending his medical and business expertise, Dr. Sangani created the Life is a Business mentorship program. The initiative offers guidance on achieving balance in health, wealth, and relationships, helping participants align personal and professional goals. Now based in Dallas, Texas, Dr. Sangani continues to practice cardiology while leading Encore Enterprises and mentoring others. His career reflects a unique blend of medical expertise, entrepreneurial spirit, and dedication to helping others thrive.
Discovering Your Life’s Purpose: Darryl Stevens Of DIGITECH On How to Align Your Goals with Your… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.