What Is Your ‘Ikigai’?
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I recently discovered the eastern concept of Ikigai while reading about the Blue Zones—the places where people live the longest—and it immediately struck a chord with me.
Ikigai beautifully encapsulates the idea of aligning what you love and are good at with what the world needs, and for me, it felt like the perfect reflection of my own journey toward living more intentionally.
In this article, I’ll share the framework so you can begin to uncover your own Ikigai and explore how it might bring greater purpose and fulfilment to your life.
What Is Ikigai?
Ikigai is a Japanese concept that roughly translates to “a reason for being” or “a purpose in life.” It’s a simple yet powerful framework for finding meaning, built around four central elements:
What you love – The activities and passions that bring you joy.
What you’re good at – The skills or talents that come naturally to you.
What the world needs – The ways in which your talents and passions can contribute to the greater good.
What you can be paid for – The practical side, where what you love and are good at can also provide you with an income.
At the intersection of these four elements lies your Ikigai—your sweet spot where passion, skill, contribution, and reward align.
This concept is similar to the Western “Hedgehog Concept” (coined by Jim Collins) and also mirrors what Mark Manson suggests: purpose is found when you combine what you enjoy, what you’re skilled at, and what the world values.
1. Find what you love
To begin discovering your purpose, start by reflecting on what you truly love to do. Think back to your childhood—what activities made time feel like it was standing still? Those moments are clues to what brings you joy and fulfilment.
For me, it was always creative activities like art and writing. These were the things I could lose myself in, where I felt completely engaged and alive. It’s not always easy to pinpoint, but there will be something that resonates deeply with you.
This step is essential for finding a sense of purpose because when you align your work with something you’re passionate about, it fuels your energy and drive. Passion doesn’t just make life more enjoyable; it also makes your work feel more aligned and meaningful.
This is why business ideas that prioritise profit over passion often fail in the long run. Without passion, the work lacks depth, and the motivation fades. When you combine what you love with what you’re good at, you create a strong foundation that keeps you going even when things get tough. Passion is what make the journey worthwhile.
2. Find what you’re good at
The second quadrant of Ikigai is about identifying what you’re good at. Everyone has natural talents, even if they’re not immediately obvious. Think about the things that come easily to you—things you pick up quickly or excel at without much effort. These are your strengths, and they can give you valuable insights into where your inherent abilities lie.
It doesn’t mean you can’t improve or develop new skills—of course, you can. But recognising what you’re naturally good at gives you a head start. Maybe you’re great at picking up new languages, playing an instrument, or organising data in spreadsheets. Whatever it is, take note. These natural abilities often align with what you enjoy and can be the building blocks for pursuing something meaningful.
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3. Find what the world needs
Next is where your purpose truly begins to take shape: what the world needs. This is about identifying the impact you want to have.
We all have a deeper desire to contribute, whether it’s to a cause, a community, or society as a whole. It’s a call to look beyond yourself and consider how your talents and passions can align with what the world is crying out for.
This doesn’t have to mean making huge waves or revolutionising industries—it can be as simple as helping those around you, being part of a supportive community, or using your skills to solve problems.
For me, it’s about sharing ideas through writing and creating resources that help others live with more intention and purpose. For you, it might be using your talents to educate, heal, support, or inspire.
It’s crucial to think about the greater good—what needs are out there that resonate with you?
4. Find what you can be paid for
The last piece of the Ikigai puzzle is figuring out what you can be paid for. We’ve all heard the “starving artist” trope or felt the frustration of doing something we love but not being able to make a sustainable income from it.
It’s a reality we can’t ignore. While following your passion is important, it’s also essential to think about how that passion can provide value to others in a way that allows you to support yourself.
You don’t need to compromise your values for money; the challenge is making sure that the work you’re doing aligns with both your personal sense of purpose and your financial needs. It’s about ensuring you’re not simply trading time for money in a job that leaves you drained or unfulfilled.
When thinking about what you can be paid for, it’s worth considering where your natural strengths overlap with what the world is willing to pay for. What skills or services do people need, and how can you provide them in a way that feels authentic to you?
Take some time to reflect and write in each of the Ikigai quadrants: what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. As you explore, you may find you’re already exactly where you’re meant to be—or it might provide direction for how to move more into alignment with your purpose.