Finding Your Ikigai: A Coaching Perspective
You may have come across the word ikigai before. It’s a beautiful Japanese concept that loosely translates as “a reason for being.” It’s the thing that makes you want to get up in the morning. Your ikigai is found at the intersection of four areas:
What you love
What you’re good at
What the world needs
What you can be paid for
When these overlap, we feel energised, purposeful and connected.
However, most of us don’t just stumble into our ikigai. It takes reflection, curiosity and sometimes support to figure it out.
“There is no word like it anywhere in the world,” says Héctor Garcia, co-author of the book Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life, which helped push ikigai into the global spotlight.
Why Ikigai Matters
Life moves fast. Between work, responsibilities and the constant noise around us, it’s easy to lose touch with what really matters. We might feel like we’re just “getting through” the week, rather than truly living it.
Ikigai offers a framework to pause and ask deeper questions:
What lights me up?
Where do my strengths lie?
How do I want to make a difference?
What would it look like to bring these together in my daily life?
You don’t have to have one perfect answer. Your ikigai can shift as you grow and life changes. The key is being open to noticing where energy, meaning and contribution overlap.
Exploring Ikigai Through Coaching
This is where coaching can help. On your own, it’s easy to get stuck in your head, or to tell yourself stories like “I don’t have any passions” or “It’s too late to change.” A coach creates space to explore what’s really true for you, without judgement.
Through guided reflection, you can:
Identify the activities that energise you most.
Recognise the skills and talents you sometimes overlook.
Uncover the values that drive you.
Explore how your work or life can align more closely with these insights.
Coaching isn’t about giving you the answers, it’s about helping you ask better questions, ones that lead you closer to your own ikigai.
Small Steps Towards Ikigai
Ikigai doesn’t have to mean a big life overhaul. It could be as simple as weaving more of what you love into your week. For example:
If you love connecting with people, you might look for more opportunities to collaborate.
If you value creativity, you could set aside ten minutes a day to write, paint, or brainstorm.
If contribution matters to you, you could explore ways of volunteering or mentoring.
These small steps build momentum, and over time, they can help reshape how you live and work.
Ready to Explore Your Ikigai?
If you’ve been feeling stuck, unfulfilled, or unsure what’s next, exploring your ikigai could be the start of something transformative. Coaching gives you the time, space and support to do just that, so you can find more meaning, energy and direction in your life.
If this resonates with you, I’d love to help. Get in touch for a no-pressure chat about coaching and how it can support you in finding your ikigai.