To Find Your Ikigai, Start With an Open Mind

“All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make, the better.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you have ever found yourself at a crossroads - questioning your direction, searching for meaning, or simply wondering what’s next - you’re not alone. One of the most powerful tools I have encountered in navigating these questions is the Japanese concept of ikigai (pronounced ick-ee-guy). While often translated as “a reason for being,” it’s more than a career tool or a life hack - it’s about alignment. It’s about waking each morning with a quiet sense that this matters.

Before we dive in, let’s honor where this wisdom comes from. Ikigai has deep roots in Japanese culture, especially in Okinawa, where people are known for their longevity and joy in simple living. It’s not about achievement. It’s about meaning, community, and balance. When we explore it from a Western lens, we do so with respect and the humility to learn, not just apply.

Finding your ikigai begins with four deceptively simple questions:

• What do I love?

• What am I good at?

• What can I be paid or rewarded for?

• What does the world need?

The sweet spot is where all four overlap - where passion, talent, service, and sustainability meet. But here's that truth most people don’t share: You won’t answer them all at once, and that’s okay.

Start With Openness (Not Certainty)

Most people get stuck before they even begin, because they try to get it right instead of getting it started. So here's my invitation:

• Start with curiosity, not clarity.

• Brainstorm without judgment.

• Write what excites you, even if it makes no logical sense.

• Let your mind wander.

• Capture ideas that seem unrelated.

• Doodle. Dream. Follow sparks.

There’s time to edit later. But first, you have to be willing to explore. Once you have sketched out some themes - what lights you up, what feels natural - share it with someone you trust, not to be validated, but to see what you can’t see alone. We are often the worst judges of our own brilliance, and others can reflect back what’s hiding in plain sight. You don’t need a full plan; you just need the next conversation.

Let the Outside World In

Now, and only now, begin to explore the world beyond your head and heart: What kinds of roles or fields are emerging? What kinds of problems are people hungry to solve? How are industries evolving in ways that align with what lights you up? This is where alignment starts to come into focus, not by forcing, but by filtering.

It’s not a one-time “aha!” moment. It’s something you come back to, refine, and live into. The more you move in its direction, the clearer it becomes. You only need to begin with an open mind and a willingness to experiment.

Here’s a gentle starting point:

• What’s one thing I loved doing as a child that still brings me joy?

• What’s one thing people consistently thank me for?

• What’s one challenge in the world I feel deeply drawn to address?

Write for 10 minutes. Don’t overthink it. Just let it surface.

Ikigai is not about fixing yourself. It’s about unfolding yourself - layer by layer, step by step. So stay open. Stay curious.
You are not behind. You are becoming. And as you move in the direction of what lights you up, you just might find yourself… exactly where you belong.