Hello creatives, last week I posted part 1 of the “find your passion” series and many of you seemed to really like the questions and journaling prompts I included in that article. Make sure you check it out if you haven’t read that one yet.

Today, I am very excited to share with you more questions and exercises that will help you find your passion and learn more about yourself, following the Japanese IKIGAI concept. You better be ready! 

I will cover:

  • What the IKIGAI concept means
  • An overview of how the IKIGAI concept works
  • How you can use the ikigai concept to find your passion
    • Questions to discover what you love
    • Questions to discover what the world needs
    • Discover what you could be paid for
    • Discover what you’re good at

1- What is the IKIGAI concept?

Ikigai = “iki” (means “life”) and “gai” or “kai” (means “worth”)

Based on the Oxford English Dictionary, ikigai is “a motivating force; something or someone that gives a person a sense of purpose or a reason for living”. So the Japanese term IKIGAI literally means “reason for being”.  And in the sense of the feeling, IKIGAI would mean the feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment that follows when people pursue their passions.

To know more about the concept, I would recommend you read the book “Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life” by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles. 

2- An overview of the IKIGAI concept

The idea of the ikigai concept is that for us as individuals to have a meaningful life, we need to figure out what we love and what brings us joy and use that to serve the world and common humanity goals. 

The core of ikigai is the intersection of 4 main points (check the image):

  • What we love
  • What the world needs
  • What we’re good at

And

  • What we can be paid for

3- How to use the ikigai concept to find your passion?

I personally don’t only use this concept to figure out my passions, I also use it as a once-a-year check-up to track my growth, my alignment with the market and niche I occupy, my evolving interests, my potential opportunities, and more. 

Looking at the IKIGAI concept from afar makes it seem very wide and cliché on its own, so I prepared the following questions to give you a plan that you can follow. 

To discover what you love, answer the following questions

  • Is what you’re doing something you’re genuinely passionate about?
  • Could you enthusiastically talk about your industry or profession for hours on end?
  • Are you emotionally connected to the result of your work?
  • Do you think you can out-care other people in your field?
  • If you weren’t concerned about money, would you still be doing what you’re doing?

To discover what the world needs, answer the following questions

  • Are you helping to solve an actual problem? (The United nations sustainable development goals)
Source
  • Is the marketplace demanding what you have to offer? Are people willing to give their money, time, trust, love, etc. to buy what you’re selling?
  • Will this work still be needed 10 years from now? How about 100 years from now? If not, will the value of your work increase over time?

To answer what you could be paid for

  • Lately, have you been paid for what you do?
  • Have you ever been paid for what you do?
  • Are other people getting paid for this kind of work?
  • Are you making a good living doing whatever you’re doing? If not, can you eventually make a living doing it?
  • Is there a healthy amount of competition in your industry?
  • Are there people who can do what you do, but better?

To discover what you’re good at

  • Are you useful? Is what you do something that your friends, family, or community have sought your advice or opinion on before?
  • Are you among the best in your workplace or community at doing what you’re doing? How about in your city? Country? The world? 
  • With some more education and experience, could you master what you do? 

If your answer to that question is that: it would be too complicated or time-consuming of a process, here’s a quick exercise you can do! 

WRITE A EULOGY or YOUR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD ACCEPTANCE SPEECH.

Reflect on :

  • What do you want people to say about you when you’re not in the room? Write what you hope your family, friends, coworkers, customers, and champions might say about you. 
  • Imagine what you said, what you did, how you made them feel, and the impact you had on their lives and the lives of others.

Come back to your eulogy or speech later on and highlight keywords and phrases that speak to you. Look for adjectives and values and start to compile them in a notebook. These will make the promise that you hope to have in this world. 

Conclusion

Giving the IKIGAI concept enough time, answering the questions carefully, and following with the right self-reflection are one of the best strategies that you can follow to learn more about your passion and purpose. Keep in mind that our interests evolve with us and could change depending on both internal and external influences. 

Enjoy creating <3