“The purpose of life is a life of purpose” - Robert Byrne

Ikigai – How to find harmony and meaning in your life

This technique is from Japanese roots and the literal translation is ‘reason for being’.

Living a life when you know your reason for being can make you happier, more content, more resilient through hard times, and more likely to influence the lives of others.

 You  can find meaning from many different sources: relationships, work, religion, or hobbies.

Ikigai is  now famously used to help individuals discover their true passion and purpose and think about the lasting legacy they want to leave.

To discover your ikigai, you must first identify: what you love, what the world needs, what you can be paid for, and what you are good at. Ikigai can be found at the point at which these four elements all meet. 

 It’s a great exercise that I work through with clients but I would love you to give it a go yourself.

 Depending on the type of person you are and how reflective you are the exercise can take anywhere from 15 minutes to half a day. This exercise will help you become grounded, not only in what’s important to you but also what is possible and feasible.

Circle 1. What do you love?

Passion is essential to finding your ikigai. What do you genuinely feel passionate about? Take a few minutes to think of the things you love in any aspect of life: your work, your family, volunteer activities, or personal interests and hobbies, for example. Perhaps you have a passion for science, gardening, or traveling.

Circle 2. What does the world need?

Humans are social animals - when we know that we are needed by others, we feel useful, valuable, and full of purpose. This question will help you discover what you can give to the world. Thinking about what the world needs globally might seem like an overwhelming task, so take a step back from the big picture and think about this question in smaller, more local terms. Think about what your friends, family, and immediate community need. These needs can include just about anything: a product, a service, or something as simple as helping one single person.

Circle 3. What can you get paid for?

The concept of ikigai is also related to finances because when you can get paid for doing something that you love, you have the foundation for a happier, more fulfilling life. Yet, finding a job where you can apply your talents, share your passion, and get paid for is often difficult to achieve. Consider your previous employment positions: What were you good at? Did you excel at anything in particular when employed in those roles

Circle 4. What are you good at?

Figuring out what you are good at involves a lot of self-evaluation. This question will help you think about your talents and skills. Before answering, take some time to think about your skills, your strengths, and all the things you are capable of doing well - no matter how big or small. Think about the specific skills you have that could make you money today.

Now that you have spent some time thinking and writing down your responses, you might notice that some of your answers appear in multiple circles of your ikigai chart or that some answers are closely related. For instance, if you love teaching (what you love) and you believe the world would benefit from more knowledge (what the world needs), there is a clear overlap between these two.

In this step, you will look for similarities between the answers in each of the four circles. These overlapping areas will help you find your ikigai.

If you would like my detailed Ikigai exercise sheet, just send me a message and I will email it to you.

For more life coaching inspiration or if you would like to find out how we can work together please take a look at my website www.suzymalhotra.co.uk or send me a message [email protected]