Finding Your Career AND Your Passion - Ikigai.
Posted on May 04, 2021 by Brianne Mundt, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.
Who doesn't want to help the world with something they're good at, love what they do AND get paid for it?
A lot of people have lost their jobs due to the recent COVID-19 crisis. While this is a stressful time for most of us (mentally, physically and financially) it is a good opportunity to reassess our lives and if we’re happy with our careers.
There’s a well-known Japanese concept called Ikigai – when translated it means “your reason for being”. It’s centered around finding your life’s purpose by combining four things:
What you are good at
What earns you money
What you love
What the world needs
It’s everyone’s dream to find their Ikigai. Who doesn’t want to help the world with something they’re good at, love what they do AND get paid for it? A lot of us have a preconception that we can’t have a lot of money; we aren’t worthy; it isn’t possible; it’s greedy to want to be rich, etc. This is a self-limiting misconception.
People’s feelings toward money is a complex topic with plenty of books to read. . . but here’s the summarized version of why we should all seek to be find our purpose and be rich: When you’re making money, you’re happy, you have the ability to give to others, inspire others and help others rise up to be their best selves – it isn’t selfish at all. When we have more resources available to us we’re able to better ourselves and those around us – causing a ripple effect throughout the world.
But I’m getting side tracked. How do you figure out what your purpose is? Hefty question. Here’s a few things you can try – see if they lead you anywhere.
Personality Tests.
There are a few different ones. I personally am a fan of the Enneagram and the Color Code. See my blog post on personality tests for more info on them.
Once you figure out your results you can read all about them and look for careers attached to your type, see if any of the suggestions resonate with you.
Fill out the Ikigai diagram (google images).
Create a diagram with four columns (what you’re good at, what earns you money, what you love, what the world needs) and see if you can make any connections across all of the categories. List as many things as possible for each category. Find your Ikigai. . .
Journal Session.
Answer this question: If money didn’t matter and I couldn’t fail, what would I be doing with my life?
There’s no wrong answer. Think about endless possibilities, jot down anything you think of that interests you. Once you have your list, narrow it down to 2 or 3 possibilities. Do some research, figure out what gets you excited and what sends your pulse racing. Maybe you’re 48 and just now realizing you want to be an actor but it always seemed implausible.
Now what?
Once you have an idea of what you want to do, make a vision board, write a personal manifesto and start thinking about it ALL THE TIME. If something seems unattainable, break it down. Think through some possible steps you can take towards your goal.
For example, if you want to be an actor you should ask yourself:
Do I know anyone in the industry that I can connect with? Can they help me network and get my foot in the door somewhere? Can they give me some acting tips or refer me to some classes?
Do I live in an area that hires actors and creates movies, shows, plays, etc? Should I move? Where? When?
Do I have the skill set to be an actor? If not, what resources/workshops can I look into?
Should I go back to school and study acting? What does that look like? Where do I go? Do I go part-time or full-time?
You might be thinking: Not all professions can make me rich. If your purpose is to be rich as an elementary school teacher – you can do it. Will all of your money come from a school teacher’s salary? Probably not. Can you invest in the stock market? Can you form a tutoring side hustle? Can you take on extra responsibilities and get a raise? Can you marry rich? I’m not saying all of these are desirable, but there is always a way to achieve the end goal. You just need think outside of the box.
Once you start thinking about this, you’ll set things in motion. The Universe will hear you and start collaborating with you to send opportunities your way. Keep your faith that something is making its way toward you and take steps to move toward your goal. They will come to fruition. You create your reality, you just need to find the guts and tenacity to figure it out and pursue your dreams. Life is fickle, but it’s your purpose – your Ikigai – to get the most out of it.
