The Japanese Concept of Ikigai

Despite the suffering and economic hardship, as well as the physical and mental health impact the pandemic has had, one thing we can be grateful for is the rapid changes it has made to the way we our work. For many of us, it has allowed for a more flexible, outcome-driven working environments, reductions in unnecessary business travel, increased family time and more chances to slow down (well, sometimes) and reflect. 

For many millions of us, this has meant further studies, joining charities, taking up new hobbies and even reassessing our primary hustles - our careers. When working from home, many once moderately satisfying jobs have become very unmoderately dissatisfying, and shared struggle has left many of us reassessing what is important to us. A few years back I came across the Japanese concept of Ikigai, and became fascinated by its elegance and simplicity in helping us make career choices that will serve us for the long-term. 

Iki- what?

Ikigai - direct translation “reason for being” is a way to describe our life's purpose, what lights us up, what we would do even if we weren’t being paid. Ponder: if I were to wake up in the morning and do anything, what would it be?

Since the pandemic began, I have spoken professionally to over 1000 people around the globe about changing their careers. This was nothing new, but as the world continues to change even more rapidly than ever, more and more people are reevaluating what is important to them - and wanting to leave a legacy that really matters.

“Your ikigai is at the intersection of what you are good at and what you love doing.” (Garcia and Miralles)

According to this concept, our Ikigai is found at the intersection of what we love, what we’re great, and what the world needs. We are moving into a world of work where people aren’t solely driven by salaries, and are more concerned with purpose, fulfilment and the potential impact they can have. Hence in recent years there has been a rise in sustainable, ethical and values-driven businesses. It is now mutually agreed that it is in fact possible to earn a living whilst making the world a better place!

In fact, more businesses are thriving as a result of their for-purpose business models - just look at toilet paper company, Who Gives a Crap who raised a remarkable $41.5m in 2021. Just a decade ago it would be really hard to imagine a toilet paper company being one of the most sought after businesses to work for in Australia!

Finding meaning in what we do

It is actually scientifically proven that people who find their work meaningful are happier, more fulfilled and more productive at work. When we feel aligned with our work, we are more likely to reach a state of flow (timelessness, effortlessness, selflessness and richness) more often, which increases productivity 10-fold. It’s the same way an Olympian gold medalist makes it to the finish line of the long distance race, or how Jiro perfected the art of sushi making. But you don’t need to be an athlete or a rockstar to have an ikigai, your ikigai can be anything at all - so long as it lights you up, and the world needs it too.

Being aligned with our life purpose doesn't only benefit the individual in question - it benefits the whole - our colleagues, employer, customers and families all feel the positive effects of this alignment. When we are in our ikigai, not only are we putting your mind into it, our souls get involved too. Not to mention the ever-increasing scientific evidence showing the link between fulfilment at work and physiological health. That’s right, enjoying our jobs can have health benefits too! 

Want to discover your Ikigai? Try this exercise below!

In a notebook or on your computer, make four vertical lists answering the questions—

What do I like to do/ value?

What am I good at/ what do I receive praise for?

What does the world need right now?

What can I be paid for?

Finding the common factors across columns will help you uncover what meaningful work might look like for you. For example, if you said you love meeting new people and you’re good at building relationships and networking, your next role might be in sales. To find out what to sell, you might look at what industries are most in demand (what the world needs). 

The key is that all 4 concepts are satisfied by the role in question.

For best results, try to let go of your ego and any pre-existing ideas about what work should look like - your Ikigai may not show up in the way you expect it to. We also hold many beliefs about what we should do as a career based on our upbringing, our race our famil - are you carrying beliefs or limitations about your career that aren’t yours? Take a closer look and assess whether these beliefs are serving you.

On the other hand, your Ikigai may well be the profession you are in now, but it’s your current company that doesn’t not align with your values. This exercise might even re-affirm that you are exactly where you need to be - if so, lucky you!

If you are interested in learning more about Ikigai, I recommend this book by Garcia and Mirralles. If you have your sights set on launching your own values-driven business, Cult Status by Tim Duggan is a must-read. Need help to find your Ikigai? Let’s work together - find out more about my 1:1 coaching offers here.