Finding My Ikigai: How Knowing Myself Became My Greatest Career Move
I’d be envious of my life if it wasn’t mine.
That might sound a little smug, but it’s not. This is gratitude. The Japanese have a beautiful word that captures this feeling perfectly: Ikigai, which roughly translates to “reason for being.”
Ikigai isn’t about grand gestures or a single ‘light bulb’ moment of purpose. It’s about the quiet joy that comes from doing what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and (yes) what you can actually be paid for. When those four things overlap, your “vocation becomes your vacation” and those “Thank goodness it’s Friday” memes have no meaning.
“Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life” by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles was published in 2016 and I read it last year. So for me, Ikigai unfolded as I experienced life and earned a few grey hairs. I’m sure if I’d had access to it, the Ikigai model would have been a huge help in course-correcting some of my “trial and error” career and life choices. Here’s a few things I learned:
When I do what I love and what I’m good at, I feel passionate and alive. Time disappears, energy flows and work feels like play.
When I do what I love and what the world needs, I have a mission. A sense that my efforts are aligned with something bigger than myself.
When I’m paid for what the world needs, I have a vocation or a job. I’m contributing meaningfully to others and sustainably for myself.
And when I’m paid for what I’m good at, that’s my profession. The practical foundation that keeps the lights on and contributes to my self esteem.
When all four come together, that’s my Ikigai. My unique flavour, the reason I usually bounce out of bed with enthusiasm and a quiet smile.
Of course, life doesn’t always bloom in perfect symmetry. There were times when I was missing one or more of the components. I have had jobs that were financially rewarding and soul destroying. I’ve also been guilty of expending a lot of energy in “passion projects” to benefit others with little renumeration.
The Power of Self-Knowledge
That’s really what self-awareness is about: knowing where you are, and what’s missing. Once I understood my own values and strengths, decisions became easier and opportunities made more sense. I stopped chasing paths that belonged to other people.
That’s why I love what we teach in Blueprint Career Development’s 11334NAT Certificate III in Personal Empowerment. It’s designed to help people discover who they are and not who they should be, and to align their life and work with that authentic sense of self.
When you know yourself, your Ikigai becomes visible.
Ikigai in Career Conversations
The Ikigai model is also a brilliant tool for career development advisors, which is why it fits so beautifully with our CHC41215 Certificate IV in Career Development.
Advisors who understand Ikigai can open up whole new ways of thinking for clients. Instead of focusing only on “what job can I get?”, the conversation expands to “what combination of passion, skill, purpose and opportunity will bring me to life and life to me?”
It’s about choosing yourself over a job, and then building a career that reflects that.
Ikigai reminds us that empowerment and career fulfilment are not opposites; they’re partners. The more we know ourselves, the more clearly we can see where we belong.
Whether you’re on a path of self-discovery or guiding others toward theirs, the question remains the same: What’s your Ikigai. What’s your reason for being?
Because when you find it, everything else starts to make sense.
And if you need a helping hand to gain direction and clarity, access our Free Ikigai Guide here: https://engage.blueprintcd.com.au/ikigai-guide