The Hidden Path to Why: Finding Purpose Through Pattern

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.” — Helen Keller

The Purpose Question Trap

“What’s your purpose?”

Few questions paralyse founders more effectively. In workshops around the world, this seemingly simple query induces existential dread, awkward silence, or—perhaps most dangerously—hastily manufactured answers that sound impressive but lack authentic foundation.

The problem isn’t with purpose itself. Purpose matters profoundly—it’s the gravitational core from which genuine attraction grows. The problem lies with how we typically approach the question.

Direct “Why” questions often fail us for several reasons:

First, they’re abstractly philosophical rather than concretely evidential. When asked “Why do you exist?” most people instinctively reach for lofty, aspirational answers that sound meaningful but may have little connection to their actual behaviours and choices.

Second, these questions activate our rationalising brain rather than our authentic core. We construct answers we think will impress others rather than examining what truly drives us.

Third, the philosophical overwhelm often leads to paralysis. The magnitude of defining one’s fundamental purpose can feel so weighty that many people either freeze or defer the question indefinitely.

Finally, direct purpose questions typically create a gap between aspirational answers and operational reality. The eloquent mission statement framed in reception bears little resemblance to daily decisions and priorities.

Consider a technology entrepreneur who spent months crafting a purpose statement about “transforming lives through innovation.” The statement adorned his walls and website, but when faced with a critical decision between pursuing a groundbreaking but risky product or maximising shareholder returns through incremental improvements, he chose the latter without hesitation. His stated purpose and actual priorities had no meaningful connection.

What if there’s a more effective path to purpose—one that starts not with philosophical abstraction but with observable evidence?

From Philosophy to Evidence: The Pattern Alternative

Imagine you’re an archaeologist attempting to understand an ancient civilisation. You wouldn’t begin by asking, “What was their purpose?” Instead, you’d examine patterns: What did they build consistently? What did they invest resources in? What rituals did they perform regularly? What problems did they solve ingeniously?

From these patterns, you’d infer their underlying values, priorities, and purpose—not through speculation but through evidence.

We can approach personal purpose the same way. Instead of asking what your purpose is, ask what the evidence suggests your purpose might be.

This pattern-based approach offers several advantages:

First, it grounds purpose in observable reality rather than aspiration. Instead of creating a purpose you hope to live up to someday, you discover one you’re already expressing imperfectly.

Second, it bypasses the rationalising brain, revealing authentic motivations through behaviours rather than constructed narratives.

Third, it reduces philosophical paralysis by focusing on concrete observables rather than abstract ideals.

Finally, it naturally closes the gap between stated purpose and operational reality because it derives purpose from operations rather than imposing it from above.

As management thinker Peter Drucker reportedly noted, “Don’t tell me what you value. Show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value.” The pattern approach extends this wisdom beyond budgets to all aspects of behaviour.

The Five Pathways to Purpose

When seeking purpose through pattern, five distinct pathways consistently yield powerful insights:

1. What You’re Drawn To

The first pathway examines persistent attractions and interests—not fleeting enthusiasms but enduring fascinations that have remained consistent across time and circumstances.

Consider Dame Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop. Her career trajectory might seem complex from the outside—activist, entrepreneur, author, philanthropist. But examining her persistent attractions reveals a clear pattern: she was consistently drawn to ethical business practices, environmental conservation, and human rights. This wasn’t a strategic positioning but an authentic pattern of interest that guided her journey from a single shop in Brighton to a global brand.

“I want to work for a company that contributes to and is part of the community,” Roddick once said. “I want something not just to invest in. I want something to believe in.” This persistent attraction wasn’t just a professional focus but a signal of deeper purpose.

To explore this pathway, ask:

• What topics, activities, or fields have consistently drawn your attention throughout your life?
• What do you read about or discuss even when not required by work or obligation?
• What interests have remained stable despite life changes, career shifts, or external pressures?
• What consistently fills you with wonder or awe?
• What language would you use if trying to be understood rather than impress?

The themes connecting these persistent interests often reveal core purpose patterns more reliably than direct questioning.

2. What You Do Consistently

The second pathway examines behavioural patterns—not what you say matters but what your consistent choices reveal about your actual priorities.

Consider Richard Reed, Adam Balon and Jon Wright, founders of Innocent Drinks. Long before articulating their mission of “making natural, delicious food and drink that helps people live well and die old,” they demonstrated a consistent pattern: creating products with simple, natural ingredients, communicating with playful transparency, and implementing sustainability principles into their business operations.

The pattern was clear: they consistently chose paths that combined healthy, natural products with approachable, joyful experiences—not as a strategic positioning but as an authentic behavioural pattern that eventually became explicit purpose.

To explore this pathway, ask:

• What do you choose to do when external pressure is removed?
• Where do you consistently invest discretionary time, energy, and resources?
• What have you repeatedly sacrificed other opportunities to pursue?
• What do you automatically gravitate toward when given freedom?

These consistent choices often reveal purpose more accurately than mission statements.

3. Who You’re Drawn to Serve

The third pathway examines which problems and people consistently engage your empathy and energy—not all potential beneficiaries but those who spark genuine connection.

Consider Brent Hoberman and Martha Lane Fox, founders of Lastminute.com. Throughout their entrepreneurial journeys, they’ve consistently focused on using technology to create new possibilities for everyday people. From making travel more accessible to improving government digital services, they’ve been driven by democratising access and opportunity.

“Technology should serve human needs, not the other way around,” Lane Fox has said—reflecting a consistent orientation toward serving the goal of making digital benefits widely accessible.

In founding Brightbeam, I’ve noticed this pattern in my own work. Our stated goal of “becoming the most helpful company on earth as we help enterprises get to grips with all things AI” wasn’t a marketing creation, but a recognition of a consistent pattern of being drawn to helping organisations understand and implement complex technologies. This wasn’t a position we manufactured but an orientation that had been present in our approach from the beginning.

To explore this pathway, ask:

• What problems or people consistently evoke your concern and engagement?
• Which audiences or beneficiaries energise rather than drain you?
• Whose stories do you naturally seek out and remember?
• Which challenges motivate you to create solutions, regardless of recognition or reward?

The pattern of who you’re naturally drawn to help often reveals purpose that mere market analysis cannot.

4. When You Feel Most Aligned

The fourth pathway examines moments of flow, satisfaction, and alignment—times when work doesn’t feel like effort but like a natural expression of who you are.

Consider James Dyson, whose greatest satisfaction came not from commercial success but from moments of engineering breakthrough after thousands of prototypes. His consistent pattern of finding joy in solving technical problems reveals a purpose centred on innovation through persistent iteration.

“I made 5,127 prototypes of my vacuum before I got it right,” Dyson has noted. “There were 5,126 failures. But I learned from each one. That’s how I came up with a solution.” These weren’t just successful career moments but experiences of profound congruence between personal values and professional expression—a pattern that revealed his purpose of solving problems through dogged perseverance.

To explore this pathway, ask:

• When do you lose track of time because you’re fully engaged in your work?
• Which accomplishments bring authentic pride rather than just relief?
• What activities consistently give rather than take energy?
• When do you feel most like “This is what I’m meant to do”?

These alignment patterns often reveal purpose with remarkable clarity.

5. How You Naturally Contribute

The final pathway examines your signature way of adding value—your instinctive approach to solving problems and making contributions.

Consider Sir John Hegarty, co-founder of advertising agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH). His natural pattern of combining artistic creativity with commercial insight has defined his approach across decades. “Do interesting things and interesting things will happen to you,” reflects Hegarty’s understanding that his natural contribution involves bringing creative perspective to business challenges.

“Creativity isn’t an occupation, it’s a preoccupation,” Hegarty has observed—reflecting his awareness that his natural contribution involves making connections others miss and finding inspiration in unexpected places.

To explore this pathway, ask:

• How do you instinctively tackle challenges (systematically, creatively, collaboratively)?
• What do others consistently say you contribute to projects?
• What capabilities do you reliably bring regardless of context?
• What consistent effects do your contributions have on situations?

Your signature contribution pattern often reveals purpose hiding in plain sight.

Heart, Wonder, and Curiosity: The Emotional Foundation of Purpose

While pattern recognition provides an evidence-based path to purpose, we must remember Helen Keller’s profound insight that “the best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.” Authentic purpose isn’t just intellectually discerned; it’s emotionally experienced.

Three emotional elements form the foundation of purpose discovery: heart, wonder, and curiosity.

Heart: The Courage to Lead from Conviction

Heart represents courage and conviction—the emotional centering that allows us to recognise what truly matters beyond rational analysis. It’s what Helen Keller referred to when she emphasised feeling rather than just seeing or touching.

Heart is particularly evident in changemakers who maintain conviction despite external resistance. When Anita Roddick established The Body Shop’s stance against animal testing in the 1980s, conventional wisdom deemed it commercially risky. Her heart-level conviction provided the courage to persist despite industry norms. This wasn’t stubbornness but authentic connection to what mattered most to her.

Heart asks: What feels so fundamentally important that you would pursue it even when logic suggests otherwise?

Wonder: Seeing Possibilities Others Miss

Wonder represents openness to possibility—the childlike ability to be amazed by what might be rather than limited by what is. It creates space for purpose to emerge beyond current constraints.

Wonder is particularly valuable when pattern recognition reveals purposes that seem impractically ambitious. When Tim Berners-Lee proposed the World Wide Web, wonder allowed him to envision a globally connected information system despite expert dismissal. This wasn’t naive optimism but the capacity to remain open to possibilities others couldn’t yet see.

Wonder asks: What possibilities do you glimpse that others might dismiss as unrealistic or unimportant?

Curiosity: Questioning Without Judgement

Curiosity represents the persistent questioning of patterns without premature judgment—the willingness to explore rather than immediately evaluate or categorise. It creates the observational space where patterns can reveal themselves authentically.

Curiosity is particularly powerful when pattern recognition reveals unexpected purposes. When Malala Yousafzai noticed her pattern of being drawn to education access, curiosity led her to ask “Why?” and “What if?” rather than immediately determining practical limitations. This open exploration allowed her purpose to emerge organically rather than being strategically manufactured.

Curiosity asks: What genuinely interests you, independent of what should interest you or what others expect you to care about?

The Heart, Wonder, and Curiosity Exercise

To access the emotional foundation of purpose, try this reflective practice:

Heart Connection

Find a quiet moment to reflect on times when you felt most fulfilled in your work. Don’t analyse these moments yet; simply recall them vividly.

Notice physical sensations and emotional responses as you remember these experiences. Where do you feel them in your body? What emotions arise?

Without judging or categorising, simply feel what these moments evoke. Remember Helen Keller’s wisdom that the most beautiful things “must be felt with the heart.”

Record these feelings before attempting to articulate their meaning. The raw emotional data is valuable on its own.

Wonder Cultivation

Identify aspects of your work that still fill you with genuine wonder or awe—moments when possibility feels expansive and exciting.

Notice what about your field or approach continues to amaze you despite familiarity. What elements still create a sense of “wow”?

Allow yourself to experience childlike wonder about these elements, temporarily setting aside practical constraints or limitations.

Record what specific aspects consistently evoke wonder. These often connect directly to core purpose.

Curiosity Exploration

Without judgment, become curious about your own patterns. Approach yourself as you would an interesting research subject.

Ask questions like “I wonder why I consistently…” about behaviours you’ve noticed. Stay in questioning mode rather than answering immediately.

Remain curious even about patterns that seem illogical or commercially questionable. These often contain important purpose clues.

Record observations without drawing conclusions. Allow insights to emerge from curiosity rather than analysis.

Integration

After completing all three practices, notice where heart, wonder, and curiosity align around particular patterns.

Identify emotional truths that feel authentic at a visceral level—insights that resonate not just intellectually but emotionally.

Consider how these emotional foundations might translate to purpose. What would it mean to orient your work around these emotional centers?

Articulate purpose statements that honor both the patterns you’ve observed and the emotional truth you’ve experienced.

The Purpose Pattern Recognition Tool

To systematically discover purpose through evidence, this comprehensive tool explores all five pathways and integrates their insights:

Pathway 1: What You’re Drawn To

Historical Inventory: List topics, activities, and fields you’ve been consistently drawn to throughout your life, regardless of external rewards or recognition.

Fascination Test: Identify what subjects you read about, discuss, or explore even when not required by work or obligation.

Persistence Check: Note which interests have remained consistent despite life changes, career shifts, or external pressures.

Wonder Exploration: List what consistently fills you with awe or genuine interest.

Pattern Identification: What themes connect these persistent interests? What do they reveal about deeper motivations?

Pathway 2: What You Do Consistently

Freedom Choice Test: Identify what you choose to do when external pressure is removed and you have complete freedom.

Investment Inventory: List where you consistently invest discretionary time, energy, and financial resources.

Sacrifice Assessment: Note what you have repeatedly given up or sacrificed in order to pursue certain activities.

Default Setting: Identify what you automatically gravitate toward doing when not directed otherwise.

Pattern Identification: What do these consistent choices reveal about your actual (not aspired to) priorities?

Pathway 3: Who You’re Drawn to Serve

Empathy Inventory: List what problems or people consistently evoke your concern and engagement.

Energy Test: Identify which audiences or beneficiaries consistently energise rather than drain you.

Conversation Pattern: Note whose stories you naturally seek out and remember.

Impact Motivation: List which challenges most motivate you to create solutions, regardless of recognition or reward.

Pattern Identification: What does this reveal about who you’re authentically drawn to help?

Pathway 4: When You Feel Most Aligned

Flow State Inventory: Identify when you lose track of time because you’re fully engaged in your work.

Alignment Pattern: Note when you feel most like “This is what I’m meant to do”.

Pattern Identification: What does this reveal about your alignment with purpose?

Pathway 5: How You Naturally Contribute

Signature Contribution: Identify your instinctive approach to solving problems and making contributions.

Pattern Identification: What does this reveal about your natural way of adding value?

Pattern Integration: How does this pattern connect to the other patterns?

Purpose Statement: Articulate a purpose statement that honours the pattern you’ve identified and the emotional truth you’ve experienced.