The beginning of the new year is a great time to reflect on your career goals, your progress, and the work you do. Just as everyone’s making their New Year’s resolutions to make changes or aspire to new activities in the new year, this is the perfect opportunity to think about direction in your career. It’s time to reflect on what is working in your work-life balance and decide whether it’s time to reevaluate. You may even need to recognize what is not serving you and consider a change in direction.
It can be very daunting to think about career changes, as switching jobs is among the top 3 great stressors in life, but if you’ve been in a rut for a while it might be something to ponder. Even if you’re happy in your job, it is still productive to think about your future and carve out time to reflect on your 5-year plan and where your aspirations lay to set obtainable goals for yourself to reach for these aspirations. It can be hard to find a job that both fulfills your needs and passions. However, by taking the time to outline what your goals are and look inward, you can set the intention to have a greater scope for what you want out of life and your career. This can help you gauge whether a shift may be necessary – whether to a new field entirely, or within a company with whom you are already vested.
Ikigai: The Japanese concept of your sense of Purpose
When considering your career path and making potential shifts in your career, it can be helpful to think about Ikigai; the Japanese concept of one’s purpose in life and the work you center your life on. Ikigai is a tool that combines one’s vocation, passion, and something that the world needs into the essence of a career field that unlocks your true potential. Ikigai essentially translates to why you wake up in the morning and your Ikigai is unique to you.
Ikigai consists of your purpose and drive along with your life’s greatest passions curled up into one ball. Understanding your Ikigai can help you have a better grasp on your vocation and what you were made to do. Taking a look at the Ikigai model can help you take a step back to look at the bigger picture when it comes to what you need career-wise and what steps may be necessary to achieve this. Our Ikigai sits where our talents and tokens of our character meet with what others need (a market) and would be willing to pay for.
PositivePsychology.com explains that Ikigai encompasses the four measures as follows, which can be best explained in a Venn Diagram:
- What you love
- What you are good at
- What the world needs
- What you can get paid for
This is a great model for how you can think simply about what it is you want to do or see if your passions align with your current role. This formula can help to ensure you’re not overcomplicating your thought process when thinking about your career path which can be stressful in and of itself. It is important to note, however, that the venn diagram above is a Westernized version of the intrinsic Japanese mindset of Ikigai but can be a helpful tool for real-life application and how we might understand Ikigai as a concept in the U.S.
Reflecting on your calling in regards to what you do for work can help you counter anxieties you may have about the future and also help you feel more self-assured and confident in your job or proposed role in life. Benefits of Ikigai also include decreasing stress, hence increasing longevity in your life as described in Hui & Fung’s 2009 excerpt on Mortality anxiety as a function of intrinsic religiosity and perceived purpose in life from Death Studies.
If you do find that a career shift is required, this illustration can be a great mind map on where to start your thought process and planning. You can list out options that adhere to each aspect in the venn diagram to draw upon what might be at the center for you. Another great part about this traditional Japanese mentality that’s important to highlight is that there are a multitude of options for you at the center. You are not tethered to just one straight career path that you must follow to achieve this sort of sense of purpose. You get to decide and explore various options throughout your life with trial and error rather than being limited to just one.
It’s also important to separate this encouraging concept from your meaning and worth. While Ikigai can be a great platform to indicate a great purpose for you in the working world, it is crucial to remember that your job is not your sole purpose in life. It can be challenging to obtain your Ikigai and not everyone will have the financial means to pursue the job that is ultimately fulfilling for them. If financial burdens limit your options, you should try to set aside time for hobbies that fulfill your passions and give you a creative outlet for your inner vocation.
When thinking about the new year ahead, you can aspire to make small changes at work to meet your goals. This could look like setting a boundary to leave the office right at 5 pm to go take a class that feeds your passion, or it can look like talking to HR about your strengths and any new openings in the company where you think you might be a good fit if you’re ready to try something new. Alternatively, if you’re facing too many challenges at work, then maybe this first step for you looks like opening a window of communication with your supervisor about your capacity. Nobody knows you and what motivates you better than you. Take the time with yourself to have your own internal performance review and career reflection to see how you might need to recalibrate in 2025.
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