full circle: My Personal Legend
A reflection on trusting the journey, purpose, and rediscovering the treasure within.
"Sometimes the treasure we’re searching for isn’t across the world. It’s buried right where we started. This is my reflection on growth, trust in the journey, and rediscovering purpose. My own journey as a coach, gym owner, and father, inspired by The Alchemist."
the beginning of my journey
Growing up, I always felt a calling to help people. In some way, shape, or form, that desire was always at my core. I happened to find it through exercise, which I pursued in college as a personal trainer.
But being a gym owner? That was never the plan.
After graduating and struggling to find a career that matched my vision, I decided to walk away from a stable job and take a leap of faith. Something inside me whispered, “This is what you need to do.”
And so, it started simply. Training a few clients out of a friend’s private studio. No grand plan. Just a deep sense of purpose and a commitment to connection.
That was the treasure before I even knew what treasure meant.
path of the Desert
I gave myself three months to see if I could make it as a self-employed trainer. Within a year and a half, I opened the first iteration of Surge. I’ll never forget it because it was the version of myself I had always pictured.
As the gym grew, so did my ambition. Mentors appeared. Opportunities opened. It felt like the universe was paving the road ahead. Within five years, we had grown fivefold. 100% year-over-year growth, breaking records and expectations.
But then came the desert.
A new space. Twice the responsibility. The weight of success. Then: the pandemic. Burnout. Old systems breaking. I found myself chasing the dopamine of big events and external hype, disconnected from the quiet, grounded purpose that once guided me.
I strayed from the path. And it brought me to my knees.
The alchemy of transformation
When my daughter was born, the pressure I’d carried for years finally caught up to me. Years of undiagnosed ADHD had driven me to build systems I couldn’t sustain. On paper, I looked successful. But deep down, I knew something was off.Then came depression. Fast, heavy, and consuming. I became a shell of my former self. Not dead, but not quite alive.
Alcohol re-entered my life. A familiar battle and one that had taken family members before me, including the uncle I was named after. He never made it past his twenties.
That was my rock bottom.
But in the darkness, I found connection with a version of myself I didn’t know existed. A part of me terrified of sobriety, but desperate for peace. Through the 12-step program and a lot of humility, I found serenity and a second chance.
Presence and mindfulness became my alchemy. Turning pain into purpose. Learning to listen. To reconnect. To love myself again.
the treasure revealed
One year into sobriety, I found myself not only celebrating that milestone but grateful for life itself.Power Surge, my magnum opus event, had become a world-class competition, featuring international lifters and all-time world record-breaking performances. This was the year I realized I made it.
But these achievements, as validating as they were, helped me realize something deeper: they were only markers along the path. They pointed me back to my personal legend.
What truly fulfills me isn't the spotlight or the scale of the event. It’s being back in the gym. Connecting with people like Staci, who I’ve trained over the past year through her battle with cancer and who continues to inspire me daily.
It’s not about being bigger. It’s about being present. Aligned. Alive.
And maybe it’s coincidence, or maybe not, but the man helping me run Power Surge this year is named Melchizedek. The same name as Santiago’s guide in The Alchemist.
I don’t believe that’s random. I believe it’s the universe speaking through synchronicity. Reminding me that I’ve come full circle.
I’ve found the treasure.
closing reflection and note
The treasure was never the money or the accolades. I had been chasing things clouded by ego and losing touch with what truly mattered.
I had to leave home, in every sense, to understand what home meant. And just like Santiago, I’ve returned not with gold, but with wisdom. Through sobriety. Through meditation. Through reconnection.
I’ve learned that peace isn’t something you earn.
It’s something already within you. It’s something you return to.
Written October 2025. One year into sobriety, one year back to center.
This is my reminder that strength is more than they physcial. It’s leading with love, humility, and the courage to begin again.
- Sergio Luna
i've found the treasure. now i help others find theirs.
👉 If you’re ready to return to your own purpose, I’d be honored to walk that path with you.
about the author
| Sergio Luna is the founder of Surge to New Levels Gym in Carol Stream, Illinois. For over a decade, he’s built a community where strength, purpose, and connection come together. A coach, father, and entrepreneur, Sergio’s work focuses on helping others grow physically, mentally, and spiritually. When he’s not coaching or directing events, you can find him spending time with his wife and daughter, or reflecting on the lessons of strength and faith that inspire Surge’s motto: Strength Does Not Discriminate. Learn more about Surge → |  |
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