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Do you feel lost in life?
“I really want to quit. Apart from the money, what's left in this job?”
Xiao Zhang complained over a beer. He'd joined the company straight out of college, full of hope, but reality had let him down badly. His boss didn't appreciate him, every day was the same work, and he felt empty inside — yet the pay was good, so he couldn't leave.
“Is this all my life is going to be?” he thought helplessly.
If you've ever felt lost like this, maybe it's time to try ikigai — a Japanese philosophy of life that can help you find your passion and your value.
What is ikigai?
Ikigai (生き甲斐) is a Japanese concept meaning “a reason for living,” or “the reason you get up in the morning.”
The word combines:
- 生き (iki, from ikiru) → to live, life
- 甲斐 (gai, from kai) → worth, meaning
Put simply, ikigai is a philosophy that fills life with motivation and value. It combines your passion, mission, skills and what the market needs to help you find your direction.
The four core elements of ikigai
Ikigai is made up of four core elements:
- What you love – things that make you happy and excited, and that you're willing to put time and energy into.
- What you are good at – your skills and talents, or areas you can master through learning.
- What the world needs – things through which you can bring value to others or to society.
- What you can be paid for – something you can make a living from, because the market or society will pay for your abilities.
Where all four overlap is your ikigai:
| Combination | Result |
|---|---|
| Love + good at | Passion |
| Love + the world needs | Mission |
| Good at + paid for | Profession |
| The world needs + paid for | Vocation |
When you find work or a life goal that meets all four, you'll have a life full of fulfillment, meaning and motivation.
How to find your ikigai
If you don't yet know your ikigai, start exploring with these four steps:
Step 1: Discover what you love
- What makes you happy?
- Which activities absorb you so completely that you lose track of time?
- What would you spend time on even if nobody paid you?
Step 2: Explore what you're good at
- In which areas do you have talent or experience?
- What do friends or colleagues often come to you for help with?
- Which skills could you improve further by learning?
Step 3: What the world needs, and your value
- How can your skills or passion help others?
- What does the market or society need right now?
- What solutions can you offer?
Step 4: Turn your passion into income
- Can you turn your interest into a career?
- Is there steady demand in this field?
- How could you earn from it? (Writing, content creation, teaching, consulting and so on.)
Try this:
Get a pen and paper now, write down your answers to these four questions, and start your ikigai journey!
Use ikigai to create a better life
Life shouldn't just be about surviving; it should be full of passion and meaning.
When you find your own ikigai, you're no longer working just for a paycheck — you get up every day with a purpose and enjoy your life.
Start now! Explore your ikigai and find the way of life that truly suits you.
Further reading
How to Calculate Your Real Hourly Wage: You Earn Less Than You Think
