Have you been feeling stuck at work, or are you having an existential crisis of some sort? I hate to break it to you, but starting any business won’t automatically make you happier or more successful.

Sure, you’ll have more freedom and more responsibilities.

And I’ve met many “disgruntled” owners who, over time, develop a bad “attitude.” To be honest, there were moments when I hated my first business and wanted to fire my bad self.

As “the boss,” everything lands on your shoulders. Like:

• Fix problems during your family vacation
• Handle unexpected disasters (hello, Covid!)
• Let go of employees you like but who aren’t right for the job

These challenges can wear down even the strongest people.

Even when everything looks perfect on paper:

• The product/solution is perfectly aligned with its market
• The customers are willing and able to pay for your offer
• The margins are healthy
• The business is profitable and growing

Even when a small business is a well-oiled, efficient machine.

Running a company, whether it is a company of one or of many, will eventually make you feel miserable if this one critical ingredient is missing.

This key ingredient isn’t found in your financial statements or spreadsheets. It’s not even in your logical thinking brain. This critical ingredient lives in your heart.

I know, sounds woo-woo, right?!

If you’re thinking, “Patricia, you gotta be kidding me!” hang tight. Let me show you what will save you when times get tough and you feel like quitting.

This isn’t just a nice theory. It’s what I’ve seen firsthand working with countless business owners. The ones who succeed long-term and remain enthusiastic about their work have more than just a good business idea — they have a powerful WHY behind their WHAT.

If you want to start a business to find more meaning than your current job offers, your first step is to uncover your WHY, which lives in your heart.

Your WHY is your life purpose.

It’s the reason you do what you do, even if you don’t realize it yet.

Once you understand your WHY, you can find a business idea that brings it to life. To succeed long-term as a business owner, you need to build or buy a business that matches your purpose.

Not sure where to start? Don’t worry. I got you.

4 Simple Exercises to Find Your Purpose

These exercises come from our course, Right Business Right Life. Take your time — no rushing needed. Just reflect and write down your thoughts. We’re looking for patterns that show what really matters to you.

1. Look Back at Your Life Story

Your purpose comes from who you were born to be AND what happened to you. It includes:

• Who you were at birth (your natural strengths and challenges)
• The events (good and bad) that shaped you
• How you responded to those events

Your reactions to life events shaped your values. And these values are the heart of your purpose.

How to Do It:

• Take out paper or open a blank document
• List 10–20 important events from your life
• Include at least half from before you were 16 years old

These can be:

• Happy or painful moments
• Times that inspired you
• Challenges you faced
• Big or small turning points

Examples of Important Life Events:

• Moving to a new home or school
• Losing someone you cared about
• Having a teacher who believed in you
• Making a mistake that changed your thinking
• Experiencing a success that made you feel alive

For each event, write down:

• What happened
• How it made you feel
• What you learned from it
• How it shaped who you are today

This isn’t just remembering the past — it’s finding clues about your purpose! These memories show what matters to you and why.

Tip: Look for feeling patterns. Do you often:

• Want to help others feel safe?
• Stand up for people who are treated unfairly?
• Feel energized when people trust you?
• Value your freedom above all else?

2. Find Your Core Values

Make a list of what matters most to you. These are your personal “must-haves” — the beliefs that guide your choices, even when you don’t notice.

Examples of Values:

• Freedom
• Creativity
• Kindness
• Growth
• Justice
• Simplicity
• Connection
• Learning
• Joy

Circle your top five values. These will help you filter business ideas later. A business that matches these values will give you energy. One that goes against them will drain you, even if it makes money.

3. Identify Your Zone of Genius

Your zone of genius is the set of things you do really well with less effort than most people. These talents may come so naturally to you that you barely notice them.

Think about:

• What do people ask you for help with?
• What do you often get praised for?
• What tasks feel easy for you but hard for others?

Examples of Genius Zones:

• Making complex things simple to understand
• Creating order out of chaos
• Listening and understanding how others feel
• Creating beautiful things
• Solving problems when under pressure
• Telling stories that capture attention

These strengths are clues to business ideas that will come more naturally and feel more satisfying.

4. Consider Your Muse

Your “muse” is what lights you up inside. It’s what you could do for hours and forget about time. It might not be your job right now, but it gives you energy.

Think about:

• What topic do you love learning about just for fun?
• What hobbies or projects make you lose track of time?
• What kinds of tasks do you do, even when no one’s watching?

Your muse might be:

• Writing
• Helping others
• Creating
• Designing
• Cooking
• Teaching
• Building or making things

This is often where purpose and joy overlap. When your work includes this energy, it doesn’t feel like work.

Bring It All Together: Draft Your Purpose Statement

Once you’ve done the four exercises, step back and look at what you’ve uncovered.

• What life events shaped how you see the world?
• What 3 to 5 values matter most to you?
• What are your natural gifts?
• What activities inspire and energize you?

It’s time to write a simple purpose statement. It doesn’t have to be perfect — just a working idea.

Here’s a fill-in-the-blank version to help:

“I want to help/serve/support _______ by using my strengths in _______ because I care deeply about _______.”

Example:

“I want to help overwhelmed moms simplify their homes by using my strengths in organizing, because I care deeply about peace and family.”

Or:

“I want to support teens in discovering their confidence through creativity, because I care deeply about self-expression and growth.”

My personal purpose statement: “I help fed-up employees and aspiring entrepreneurs start purpose-driven and profitable businesses because I care deeply about independence and the freedom of prioritizing who and what matters in life.

Our purpose statements become our North Star as we move forward with our business ideas.

Still Not Sure About Your Purpose?

That’s completely normal. Purpose isn’t something you always find in one afternoon.

It’s a serious process of self-discovery. It might even feel uncomfortable, especially when you need to think about difficult past events.

But it is worth it, even if you are not ready yet to start a business. The more you reflect and take small steps, the clearer your purpose becomes. Once you understand what is meaningful to you, you will naturally find your way in everything you do.

What’s Next?

This is just Step 1 of 8. In the next steps, we’ll continue exploring how to match your purpose to real-world business ideas: from solving a problem to adapting an existing model or even buying a business that needs your fresh approach.

But don’t skip this step.

The strongest businesses are built on solid ground. Your purpose is that ground.

Your purpose is already in you, buried somewhere in your heart, waiting to be discovered. Let’s bring it to your self-awareness.

👉 Keep an eye out for Step 2 of 8, where we focus on leveraging your strengths to succeed as a small business owner.