Editor’s note 1: This is supposed to be a post about planning for the end of your ittybiz. Upon reflection, it’s damn good advice for starting one. So we changed the title, because we’re totalitarian like that.

Editor’s note 2: This is a guest post from Hunter Nuttall, the “stop sucking and live a life of abundance” guy who thinks he knows a thing or two about personal development. He assures me that his site now contains no trans fats.

All good things must come to an end. That includes the pet rock, parachute pants, America’s credibility on the world stage, and even your ittybiz. (Cue ominous and foreboding music.)

Yes, your ittybiz will eventually end, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. After so many years, it’s perfectly understandable if it just doesn’t hold your interest the way it once did. You may even become wildly successful and sell it for a king’s ransom.

But when it ends, however well it worked out, you now have a problem on your hands. You need to answer your inner voice’s dreaded question: “OK, now what?”

What’s your endgame? What will save you from boredom? You should be working towards something that will make you say “This is what I did it for.” Here are some ideas about what that might be.

Happiness

Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, said that the purpose of life is to be happy. That’s it. We want happiness, we don’t want suffering, and neither social conditioning nor education nor ideology ever changes that.

Pros: This keeps things nice and simple. Millions and millions of people are chasing happiness, because when all is said and done, what else do you really need?

Cons: In other news, the International Dalai Lama Association continues to report a critical shortage of qualified applicants. Is this guy serious? The purpose of life is to be happy? For God’s sake, hamsters are happy. Perhaps you could aim a bit higher.

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness

OK, I’ll see your happiness and raise you life and liberty. You know, from the U.S. Declaration of Independence? It said that we’re endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights. But the list is kind of fuzzy, listing only these three while hinting at others.

Pros: I’m sure that Thomas Jefferson put forth his best effort on this, and he must have had a very good reason for picking these three things. Then again, quill pens didn’t have erasers, and parchment cost an arm and a leg. Anyway, the 55 other delegates approved it, and that must have been one tough crowd.

Cons: Any jerk can come up with three things that sound good together.

John Locke had life, liberty, and property. The ancient Greeks had good order, justice, and peace. The ancient Romans had harmony, health, and peace. Canada has peace, order, and good government. France has liberty, equality, and fraternity. Germany has unity, justice, and freedom. The Bolsheviks had peace, land, and bread. The FBI has fidelity, bravery, and integrity. West Point has duty, honor, and country. Notre Dame has God, country, and Notre Dame. Lincoln had people, people, and people.

It just goes on and on. “Wine, women, and song,” “sex, drugs, and rock and roll,” “location, location, location,” “fish and chips and vinegar,” “chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry,” etc. Just because someone says three things, that doesn’t automatically make them your personal motto.

Truth, love, and power

Personal development guru Steve Pavlina spent a whopping two and a half years trying to define personal development, finally putting a horse in front of his cart. He concluded that we’re all here to bring ourselves into ever greater alignment with truth, love, and power. (For people who are into all this meaning of life stuff, click that link for my interview with him.)

Pros: When you can attract 2.5 million monthly visitors based on your insight into three words, those must be three pretty goddamn important words.

Cons: Why truth, love, and power? George W. Bush built a stellar career on lies, hate, and incompetence, using the U.S. Constitution as toilet paper.

Excitement

When Tim Ferriss achieved his 4-hour workweek, he suddenly had all the time in the world. And he found that he couldn’t think of anything more interesting to do with his life than getting a sandwich.

Eventually, he decided that he should be chasing excitement, which he considers a more practical synonym for happiness. Excitement brings happiness, but happiness doesn’t bring excitement.

Pros: He’s one of the world’s most prominent lifestyle designers and they call him the Indiana Jones of the digital age, so you might want to listen to him.

Cons: Some people are on pacemakers and don’t want to be excited. Others are on Viagra and don’t want to be excited for more than 4 hours. And others just don’t think excitement is meaningful enough.

Your one big thing

In The Matrix, Neo spends his whole life wandering without direction, in search of purpose but finding only subtle clues here and there. At last, his purpose is clear: he’s supposed to infiltrate the Machine City and bargain with Deus Ex Machina to save the human race from extinction. Well, when you put it that way, how can he say no?

Pros: Knowing you’re working towards your one big thing that will change the world keeps you focused and inspired. When you finally see it happen, you can enjoy a state of complete serenity and inner peace, and perhaps have a cookie.

Cons: When Neo finally gets to the Machine City and announces his grand purpose, he’s told that they don’t need him. To which he replies, “If that’s true, then I’ve made a mistake and you should kill me now.” Bummer!

When you let your whole life satisfaction ride on the achievement of something in the future, you’re letting the present pass you by. And then if your big thing falls through, what have you done with your life?

Your kids

To hell with you, children are the future! Why not cut your losses and make sure your kids get it right? You’ve racked up a lot of life experience that can steer them in the right direction. If you create the best possible environment for them, they’ll go on to great things.

Pros: With even minimal parenting skills, you can make the world a better place for at least two people at the same time. There’s also bound to be a big ripple effect. Besides, you have to do it anyway, seeing as how they live with you and need food and such.

Cons: This only works until they turn 18. Then what? Get a puppy? Anything to take the focus off of you, right? What if everyone lived just for their kids? Doesn’t the whole thing become pointless if nobody ever does something for themselves?

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Grab a couple of crazy friends with some time to kill. Take a meticulously restored 1961 Ferrari GT California out for a joyride. Lip-sync “Twist and Shout” in the Von Steuben Day Parade. Impersonate Abe Froeman, the Sausage King of Chicago. Repeat every day as needed.

Pros: Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

Cons: What are you, 16? Go away, I’m done talking to you.

So, does this have a point, or what?

Yes, thank you for asking. The point is that there is no one right answer for everyone. But you’d better have some kind of answer in mind. If you don’t, and you’re subconsciously afraid of being bored in retirement, fear of success will seep into your skull and melt your brain. Try getting a prescription for that.