Ikigai is on the path to becoming a buzzword for people seeking a deeper understanding of what motivates them. But when truly understood, Ikigai can be a very useful tool when considering career changes.
Ikigai is a Japanese term that stems from the verb Ikiru = to live and the suffix gai = fruitful, worth doing.
In katakana: いきがい
In kanji : 生き甲斐
Ikigai is a motivating force that gives you a sense of purpose.
It can also describe your mental state when you live a meaningful life
It is found at the intersection of what you are passionate about, what you are good at, what you want to contribute to society and how you see the world.
An ikigai chart is made of intersecting shapes, each representing an aspect of your life: passion, skills, contribution and world view. Each intersection provides some meaning and satisfaction but might not be completely fulfilling. The middle of the chart is where you will find your ikigai.
In order to get you started on your ikigai journey, here are a few examples of ikigai elements for various career profiles.
Construction worker
Child book illustrator
Host of a cooking program
Whether you consider a career change at 30, 40 or 50 starting building your ikigai can be a very helpful step in identifying possible career orientations. It can also uncover job options that are off the beaten path, but will provide you a fulfilling professional future.
With half of the American population identifying food as one of their passions, we designed a test that could help foodies, entrepreneurs and those passionate about hospitality find their ikigai.
Take the Ikigai Test for foodies