Find your ikigai
Choosing is connecting.
Our life is evolving, so it is not unnatural that we feel the need for a change. But we probably feel overwhelmed with choices and opportunities. There are a million things you could be doing with your life.
My journey in finding my passion started with a honest search by asking some open questions with no boundaries. The Ikigai framework, a simple and elegant model for assessing where you are in your career, has helped me in structuring my reflections in the following 4 areas:
What do I love doing?
What am I good at?
What does the world need?
What can I get paid for?
There are many sub-questions under each area to further reflect. For me the key is to identify something that connects through the 4 categories. After all, over a 50-year career period, we’ll spend roughly 92,000 hours at work. That would mean still some 46,000 hours in your second half career! It’s never too late to pursue your true purpose and to live out your life potential.
We certainly also need to honestly face the tough questions about finances, other family members, long term goals etc. Getting ready for a better second half is not daydreaming. A proper risk assessment is important.
My ‘moment’ of ikigai came when I was undergoing a surgery a few years ago. I was aware that the operation was not without risk. As I was visualizing my passion in mind in that surgery room, a comforting and peaceful inner voice has kept me calm throughout the surgery. It is from that moment when I confirmed my passion in counselling is genuine and real.
Keep exploring and finding your passion. Once found it’s definitely worth pursuing.