I went for a walk yesterday, with a friend I’d not seen for a couple of months. When I asked her how her work was going, she said:
“It’s fine. One week just rolls into the next really. Only another 6 years and I can retire.”
Wow. To be honest I was quite shocked, and more than a little sad for her. And then I started to wonder how many other people are there that feel the same way about their jobs. How many people just wish their weeks away, living for the weekend and waiting for the years to pass?
I came across Ikigai a few years ago, and I’ve become quite passionate about sharing it with others.
Ikigai is a Japanese concept which, at its core, is about trying to find your purpose in life. Finding your Ikigai means understanding the things in life that give you meaning – often broken down as what you love, what you’re good at and what you can do. You can use it to bring different aspects of your life together and aim for a feeling of overall contentment.
Your Ikigai isn’t necessarily your work, but for many people it turns out that it is. Finding the sweet spot where the things you love and are good at, overlap with what the world needs and what you can be paid for.
Your Ikigai is not determined by anyone else – you find it and choose it. So where do you start?
Finding your sense of purpose and creating a plan of action will take a bit of time and you’ll need to ask yourself some pretty serious questions. Start by thinking of 5 things you’ve spent a lot of time doing this week. For each one, ask yourself:
- Do I love it?
- Does the world need it?
- Am I good at it?
- Can I be/am I paid for it?
Be very honest with yourself when you answer. What do you spot? Are there any patterns?
Now think about the things you choose to do when you have a day to yourself – ask yourself the same questions about these things. Any lightbulb moments? You might not spot anything immediately, but it will certainly get you thinking.
We spend such a huge chunk of our weeks working – are we happy to settle for “fine” and to long for a time when we don’t have to do it anymore? Your Ikigai is waiting for you if you just take the time to seek it out.
If you’ve reached a stage of life where you’ve worked hard, you’ve had successes but you’re lacking that ‘reason to get out of bed in the morning’ perhaps it’s a feeling of fulfilment that you’re missing.
In my opinion there’s nothing more fulfilling than bringing joy to an older persons day. My FAB-Senior programme gives you a complete step by step guide on how to make it into a fulfilling career. Here are all the details.
Sarah x
Recent Comments