Exercises to Clarify Your Purpose and Vision in Your Business
Whether it’s the beginning of a new year or we’re halfway through, every moment is an opportunity to align your business with your highest potential. If you want this to be your best year ever, take some time to clarify your Purpose and Vision.
As a Certified Ikigai Coach, I believe that true fulfillment in business comes from aligning your work with what lights you up and serves others in a meaningful way. In Japanese philosophy, Ikigai (生き甲斐) (Ick-ee-guy) represents “reason for being”—the sweet spot where what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for all intersect.
A clear purpose and vision give you the focus and direction needed to build a business that feels deeply fulfilling rather than just another job. Yet, too often, small business owners lose sight of their “why” in the daily hustle.
If you feel disconnected from your business vision, these exercises will help you reignite your purpose and step into a future you’re excited to create.
Reconnect with Your Purpose
A clear purpose defines what you are here to accomplish. If you’ve felt lost or uninspired, start by reflecting on these three powerful questions:
What do you really want out of life?
What do you absolutely not want in your life?
What would you be willing to release or shift in order to live the life you desire?
Your business should support the life you want, not the other way around. Answer these honestly and design your business to align with your deepest desires and values.
Ikigai Insight: If you feel stuck, consider the four elements of Ikigai:
What do you love? (Passion)
What are you good at? (Vocation)
What does the world need from you? (Mission)
What can you be paid for? (Profession)
Where these four overlap is your Ikigai—your unique reason for doing what you do. When your business aligns with your Ikigai, work becomes meaningful and sustainable.
Craft a Vision That Inspires You
Once you’ve reconnected with your purpose, let’s dream bigger. Imagine the absolute greatest outcome you can envision for your business.
Who are you helping?
What impact are you making?
What services or offerings bring you the most joy?
Now, go beyond the numbers and logistics—feel into this vision. Instead of only setting external goals, imagine the kind of daily experience you want to create.
Visualization Exercise:
Close your eyes and imagine yourself 10 years in the future, watching a movie of your life. You see your future self thriving—confident, successful, and aligned with their purpose.
As the movie ends, the star of the show—you, 10 years from now—walks into the theater and sits beside you.
What would you ask them? What advice do they have for you?
If this feels a little “woo” at first, stay open—you might be surprised at the clarity that emerges.
Align Your Business with Your Future Vision
Once you’ve defined your Purpose (your why) and Vision (your where), it’s time to bridge the gap between where you are now and where you want to be.
Here’s how to start:
✔ Clarify your non-negotiables. What values and principles guide your business decisions?
✔ Refine your offerings. Does your business model align with your Ikigai?
✔ Embody your future self. How can you start making decisions like the thriving business owner you just met in your vision?
When you build your business from a place of alignment, success follows more naturally—not because you’re forcing it, but because you’re moving in sync with your deepest truth.
Are you ready to make this year your most fulfilling and impactful yet? Let’s bring your purpose and vision into focus and create a business that truly supports the life you want. Schedule a free call with me here.