Do you ever feel like you don’t know what you want to do with your life? The ikigai is a tool that can help you figure out your passions and what makes you happy.
Ikigai (pronounced ‘ee-key-guy’): a Japanese concept about what drives you to live a fulfilling and meaningful life; a reason for being.
Our ikigai tool uses this ancient idea to help you think about the next steps in your own life. It explores four core questions. What do you love? What you are good at? What does the world need? What you can be paid for? Think about each of options available and how they relate to your hobbies, skills, values, and goals.
To use the tool, you'll need to either select or write out your ikigai options. Don't worry if you can't fill it all out, finding your ikigai is a journey that can take time to refine.
Look out for these icons:
As you scroll through the options and make selections in the first four stages of your ikigai, it’ll build a bigger picture of potential careers or paths for your future. Be sure to look into different fields that interest you and to talk to people who are already working in careers that you think you might like.
In the following stages, you'll look at your previous selections and write out options that combine your choices. Think about which options could be a good starting point for finding your true ikigai.
At the end, you’ll have the chance to submit your results to us. We can then suggest the next steps you could take. You can also save your ikigai to your device so you can refer back to it in the future.
Take small steps towards exploring your ikigai and finding your passion. This could be as simple as volunteering or interning in a field that interests you, or taking a class or workshop to learn more about a particular skill or subject.
At Real Ideas, we can help you by having one-to-one guidance sessions, signing you up to specific sector newsletters, or simply getting you involved with our various workshops or classes.
Remember, finding your passion and purpose can take time, and it’s okay to try different things and make mistakes along the way. We encourage you to come back to this tool frequently so that you can make sure you’re aligned with what your future could be. Keep an open mind and be willing to take risks, and you’ll be on your way to finding your ikigai.
