Do the following questions sound familiar to you:
What is the point of doing what I am doing ?
Why am I doing what I am doing ?
Why do i feel dissatisfied with my work ?
Why am I unable to generate wealth ?
Why don’t I enjoy what i am doing ?
Why do I feel scared to think about my future ?
If Yes, then the answer to all the above lies in one simple word: IKIGAI
I have been in the same shoes sometime back, I was working day and night but without a sense of fulfillment, without a sense of satisfaction and often used to fear thinking about the uncertainties of the future.
But eventually after spending 13080 hours, traveling about 3000 KMs, listening to more than 25 speakers, meeting more than 200 people all coming from different backgrounds, reading more than 30 books, listening more than 1000 hours of knowledgeable videos, spending more than a YEAR to learn & listen to my mentors, FINALLY I WAS ABLE TO FIND MY IKIGAI!
I know that sounds a lot of work, right! But No it ISN’T! Because it’s subjective. Some find answers quickly while some may take longer but what’s important is learning the lessons that you haven’t learned which ultimately helps you reach your destination.
Even since i have launched my course: Digital Business Blueprint, the most common question that i have been asked is WHAT TO ?
WHAT TO STUDY ?
WHAT TO DO WITH MY CAREER ?
WHAT TO DO WITH MY BUSINESS ?
While i have covered the answer on how to discover your WHAT in the first chapter of the course itself, I am writing this post to give another insight about the same.
IKIGAI :
The concept of IKIGAI originally came from Japan. There is a place in Japan called Okinawa, it is a popular place because people there are able to live a long and healthy life. A research was made to understand why most people are living such a happy & healthy life. An interesting study came out which explained the reason behind it called the IKIGAI. Below is a pictorial representation of the same concept:
Most people in Okinawa claim to live a long, happy and healthy life because they say they found their IKIGAI which in simple words is “a reason for being”
If you are struggling with finding the true purpose of your life, one which excites you, one which you think you can be good at, one which can make you earn as well as the one which can help the world then simply pick a pen and paper and start writing answers to the following questions:
What is that you LOVE doing ?
I don’t become a digital marketer since the first day but I discovered my attraction towards computers followed by a series of learning graphics designing, web designing and then landed up learning SEO.
I decided to stick and learn SEO only as I found it exciting, eventually the process made me fall in LOVE with it.
Hence the number 1 question that you need to answer is what is that you LOVE doing the most. It might get confusing in the first place but let me tell you one simple exercise:
- Create a list of all the things that you love.
- Upon writing, read every item loud and clear and then close your eyes.
- Visualize you doing that thing.
- If you don’t feel excited enough while visualizing, then put a cross across that item and move on to the next one.
- Do this exercise until your list doesn’t get smaller and is left with only 3 options.
- Finally you will get a list of Top 3 things which excites you the most.
Follow the example in the table below:
| S.No. | Interest |
| 1 | SEO |
| 2 | Website Design |
| 3 | Graphics Design |
What are you GOOD at ?
Once you have listed down the top 3 things which excites you the most, it is time to give yourself a score for each one of them on the basis of your proficiency to perform them, follow the example in the table below:
| S.No. | Interest | Proficiency Score |
| 1 | SEO | 9 |
| 2 | Website Design | 7 |
| 3 | Graphics Design | 5 |
What you can be PAID for ?
It is important to understand that even though you might be in love doing something and you also might be proficient in it, it is not necessary that you would be paid for it. There is a fine life between doing something as a hobby and taking something as a profession. Hence on the basis of facts give yourself a reality check and give yourself a score on the basis of your ability to get paid for something, follow the template below:
| S.No. | Interest | Proficiency Score | Earning Score |
| 1 | SEO | 9 | 9 |
| 2 | Website Design | 7 | 7 |
| 3 | Graphics Design | 5 | 5 |
What the World needs ?
In my opinion this is the most important question to answer. What is that ONE problem of the world that you could help solving ? What is that ONE thing which the world needs amongst all that you love ? Give this question a score on the basis of the demand that you see across the world for the top 3 things that you love, follow the template below:
| S.No. | Interest | Proficiency Score | Earning Score | Demand Score |
| 1 | SEO | 9 | 9 | 8 |
| 2 | Website Design | 7 | 7 | 9 |
| 3 | Graphics Design | 5 | 5 | 8 |
Finding Your IKIGAI:
Now it’s time for you to find your IKIGAI by totalling all the scores for all the top 3 things that you love doing. The INTEREST which gets the maximum score is your IKIGAI. Follow the template below:
| S.No. | Interest | Proficiency Score | Earning Score | Demand Score | Total Score |
| 1 | SEO | 9 | 9 | 8 | 26 |
| 2 | Website Design | 7 | 7 | 9 | 23 |
| 3 | Graphics Design | 5 | 5 | 8 | 18 |
As you can see in the above example, for me SEO is my IKIGAI with the top score. This is just a simple example and the actual process might be a little more complex, but if you try to keep it simple and clear, you wont need to spend more than 30 minutes to find your IKIGAI.
Remember if you really want to find your IKIGAI, then you MUST score yourself on the basis of reality and avoid any biases.
Finding your IKIGAI will help you lead a happy and fulfilled life. You will live your life fully by knowing and understanding the true purpose of your life.
Suggested Reading:
If you have a KINDLE Device and if you like to read further about this concept and dwell deep here is a link to this #1 Seller across Amazon:
Ikigai: The Japanese secret to a long and happy life
AMAZON IS NOT ACCEPTING PHYSICAL PRODUCT DELIVERY AT THE MOMENT, PLEASE ORDER KINDLE VERSION ONLY.
Listen to the Audio book:
If you don’t have the KINDLE device but still like to have this book then you can order an Audio version. The best way is to get an AUDIBLE membership price at Rs.199 a month. Simply install the app and start listening to the audiobook on your mobile, no other device needed.
Check here to get audible >> https://www.audible.in/
Finding your IKIGAI is just the starting, if you are an ACTION TAKER and want to establish your OWN DIGITAL BUSINESS online that CHECK OUT MY FREE COURSE: DIGITAL BUSINESS BLUEPRINT, designed to help students, professionals and solopreneurs establish, market and earn money online living a DigitalPreneur Lifestyle.
If you have successfully found your IKIGAI then do drop me a comment below and tell me what is it ?
Cheers,
Harshwardhan