Written by: Jelena Radonjic, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
When events of seismic proportions, like the pandemic and the resulting lockdown, occur, they shake us up to the core – as individuals, as human beings, and as professionals, but also all the institutions and ways they operate, leading to significant shifts in society.
As a career and leadership development coach, I have always prided myself on helping clients question their life, their values, and their purpose. I have made conscious and concerted efforts to send signals to the market that I only want to work with people who are open-minded, curious, and who value personal growth above all else.
Never did I dream that so many would come to me, seeking help with exactly this! The events of 2020 have precipitated a mass awakening of career professionals, high-flyers, and achievers who pressed the pause button to question, reflect, and re-evaluate. Nothing brings me more joy than helping hundreds of people change their lives and find more meaning and fulfillment in their work. I must admit that I have been overwhelmed over the past two years by the influx of clients seeking to clarify their purpose and realizing that "jobs" and "careers" are much more than just a way to pay their bills. This also prompted me to look into the idea of “purpose” yet again.
I believe that the change we are experiencing is of tsunami proportions and that even those who had been comfortable in their jobs were prompted to rethink and reassess their private and work lives and ask themselves questions they've never asked before. Although the waters are still murky since the tsunami hasn’t settled yet, I believe that things will never be the same in the world of work and careers, both on the individual and the collective levels.
So, what about this elusive idea of purpose? I have been involved with the concept of Ikigai, which has become quite prominent in coaching practice for a few years now, and found many interesting, and yet opposing views. Obviously, both the word Ikigai and the concept itself existed in the Japanese language long before it was appropriated by the Western world, though I have not encountered it when I lived in Japan in the early 90s.
While Ikigai is used in coaching as a model to discover your own career values and purpose of your work/calling, leading to a more fulfilled work life, the word has a much less specific meaning in the Japanese language. The BBC quotes clinical psychologist Akihiro Hasegawa, who dates “the origin of the word ikigai […] back to the Heian period (794 to 1185)” and explains that “Gai comes from the word kai (“shell” in Japanese) which were deemed highly valuable at the time, and from there Ikigai derived as a word that means value in living.”
Therefore, in its original meaning, Ikigai is neither a strategy to be used in one’s work-life to find meaningful work that pays the bills, nor the mysterious secret to longevity and health. However, in its blurry and complex history of transfer and appropriation, Ikigai has become popular as exactly this, best represented by a Venn diagram locating it at the intersections of four characteristics: (1) what you love, (2) what the world needs, (3) what you are good at, and (4) what you can get paid for. Combining these attributes would then lead to finding your vocation, mission, profession, and passion, with Ikigai at its innermost, connected center.
So far so good, but while this reduction may seem convincing and meaningful, it actually does not have a lot to do with Ikigai. In his essay on the appropriation of the concept, Ikigai expert Nicholas Kemp explains that the introduction of the Japanese word Ikigai into the Venn diagram with its four circles and intersections was authored through a series of additions and amalgamations by several authors, speakers, and thought leaders.
Does this mean applying Ikigai to one’s work-life or using it as a coaching practice is therefore unsuitable? Definitely not. As a career coach who places emphasis specifically on one’s values, not only in work but in life in general, I do believe that using the core qualities of the concept of Ikigai can be used for career path clarification as well, leading to self-discovery and ultimately more informed choices. We’ll remain connected to our lkigai if we pay attention to how we spend our time and with whom, what activities we engage in, as well as fully appreciating what we are creating in our (work) life. In his book on Ikigai, Ken Mogi describes the 5 pillars of Ikigai that we can use as a starting point:
Starting small
Releasing yourself
Harmony and sustainability
The joy of little things
Being in the here and now
Going back to purpose and how Ikigai links to it, let me share a bit about my own journey:
I’ve spent decades soul searching and immersing myself in lots of transformational work. To be honest, I didn’t start this journey thinking, ‘oh I must discover my purpose!’ I just naturally and intuitively sought answers and kept asking questions.
I often point out to my clients, or in my masterclasses, the difference between a personal branding statement (“elevator pitch”) and a purpose statement, call it Ikigai if you will. After many hours of meditation and allowing answers to come to me, I came up with the following:
My purpose statement or my Ikigai is: I raise awareness through insight and love, leading with confidence.
My pitch is: As a career fulfillment coach, I help mid-senior professionals identify, reach, and retain the careers they love and thrive in.
Can you see the link between the two? For me, self-actualizing through work is one of my highest values and dare I say, my purpose, and I fulfill it by helping others do the same.
While using the concept of Ikigai as a coaching model is beneficial, I need to emphasize that our purpose doesn’t need to be one awe-inspiring ideal towards which we strive throughout our lives. Rather, it is a collection and amalgamation of smaller things – insights, steps, decisions that can bring us closer to fulfilling our purpose. It is also about finding purpose, flow, and alignment in everyday, small things. Don’t let life pass you by as you are trying to figure out your purpose!
These are some of my favorite questions that will help you get more insight into your Ikigai and purpose:
What brings me joy in my day-to-day life? What activities? Which people?
What makes my heart sing?
What was the best moment of my (work) life? (Or a couple of those)
What do I care about deeply?
If I had a magic wand, what one change would I create in the world?
Then have a look at your answers. Lots of clues are hiding there. What’s obvious is – you want to be doing more of the things that make your heart sing, and you want to be surrounding yourself more with the people who bring you joy. Your passion lies in what you care about deeply and what you’d like to change in the world. That’s where you want to create impact.
Pay attention, however, that being in flow and in tune with your ‘purpose’ can happen while you are immersed in your hobbies, your voluntary work, your downtime, and while you are at work. The sense of joy and fulfillment is not limited to work alone, it may not be the only place where you must meet your grand purpose and change the world. Some people do. However, the vast majority may not be at that point, and by neglecting the activities and people making your heart sing, you miss out on the joys of life, on being in flow, in gratitude. What if our purpose is to be happy to be alive? How humble and yet how grand that is! What about you, what is “enough” for you?
Jelena Radonjic, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Jelena is an award-winning Career Fulfilment and Leadership Development coach, helping conscious, aspiring professionals thrive in the careers they love. With over 25 years in international recruitment and education management, Jelena has held managerial and business development roles with P&L accountability, working with corporate clients from all over the world.
Having started her corporate career in Japan, Jelena has lived and worked in 3 countries. She is a Forbes Coaches Council contributor, speaker, and author. Jelena has also worked with spiritual teachers such as John DeMartini and Deepak Chopra and infuses love, joy, and spirit into her coaching and everything she does.
Her powerful blend of personal, career, and business coaching, as well as personal development and spiritual practice, has brought transformational results to hundreds of her clients.
