Ikigai, Your Sense of Purpose

Someone mentioned Ikigai in conversation last week and I started to think more about how we craft our purpose over time as we learn more about ourselves. You can think of Ikigai as your reason for getting out of bed in the morning.

I recommend reflecting on what you love doing, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for every year or so. Try the following:

• Write down everything you love doing.

• Then write down everything you are good at.

• Put the intersection of the two into your Passion area.

Passion: The intersection of what you are good at and what you love doing goes into your Passion area. How do you feel about the items in this area? Are they true passions for you?

• Now write down the things you can do that you can be paid for.

• Put anything that shows up in your what you can do and what you can be paid for lists into your Passion area.

Profession: The intersection of what you are good at and what you can be paid for goes into your Profession area. How do you feel about the items in this area? How many of them are you currently doing in your role? Are there things you would like to do more of?

• Add the things you can do that the world needs.

• Put anything that shows up on your what the world needs and what you can be paid for lists into your Passion area.

Vocation: The intersection of what the world needs and what you can be paid for goes into your Vocation area. How do you feel about the items in this area? How many of them are you currently doing in your role? Are there things you would like to do more of?

• Add anything that shows up in your what you love doing and what the world needs lists into your Mission area.

Mission: The intersection of what you love doing and what the world needs goes into your Mission area. How do you feel about the items in this area? How many of them are you currently doing in your role? Are there things you would like to do more of?

Ikigai: Is there anything you are doing that is at the intersection of your Passions, Profession, Vocation, and Mission?

Throughout our lives, we may lean more toward one area than the others. When facing a transition it’s often helpful to think about purpose or Ikigai.