4.Finding Your Ikigai—Defining Success on Your Own Terms
In today’s high-pressure corporate environment, it’s all too easy to base your aspirations on external benchmarks—bigger salaries, lofty titles, or accolades from industry peers. Yet many professionals reach these milestones only to discover they still feel unfulfilled or disconnected from a deeper sense of purpose. The Japanese concept of Ikigai, translating to “reason for being,” provides a meaningful framework for aligning your professional life with intrinsic motivations, ultimately redefining success on your own terms.
At its core, Ikigai lies at the intersection of four foundational questions:
What do you love doing?
What are you genuinely good at?
What does the world truly need?
What can you realistically be paid to do?
By reflecting on each question, you gain clarity on where passion, skill, societal contribution, and financial viability overlap. This introspective process often reveals mismatches between what you’re doing in your day-to-day work and what genuinely energizes you. Recognizing these gaps is the first step toward finding a more fulfilling path.
Bridging Purpose and Profession
The real power of Ikigai emerges when your sense of purpose aligns with the goals of the organization you serve. While most companies focus on profit, market share, and efficiency, there’s a growing recognition that motivated, purpose-driven employees are more innovative, engaged, and collaborative. By identifying projects or roles that sync with both your personal mission and corporate objectives, you transform your work into a source of genuine satisfaction instead of an endless grind.
Practical Steps
Regular Self-Audit: Schedule periodic check-ins—quarterly or biannually—to evaluate how well your role aligns with your Ikigai. Look for areas of friction or stagnation and determine whether small tweaks or major shifts are necessary.
Proactive Advocacy: Clearly communicate your Ikigai-inspired ideas to mentors, managers, or HR representatives. Present specific ways your proposed work aligns with the company’s strategic goals—people often respond positively to initiatives that promise both individual and organizational benefits.
Continuous Refinement: Remember that Ikigai is not a static destination but an evolving process. As your professional skills and personal interests grow, revisit the four questions to ensure your current path remains relevant and motivating.
Defining Success on Your Own Terms
Ultimately, living by Ikigai redefines how you measure success. Rather than chasing extrinsic rewards, you begin to see your career as a reflection of your values, passions, and unique capabilities. This perspective shift fosters resilience in the face of corporate challenges, as your work becomes not just a paycheck or a title but a meaningful extension of who you are.
About the Author
Curtiss Jacobs is a former senior corporate executive who has led transformative initiatives at Citigroup, AIG, Pitney Bowes, and Bank of America. He’s now an executive coach, speaker, advisor, and author of Demystifying Corporate America. As co-founder of the Leadership Elevation Alliance, Curtiss empowers professionals to discover and live their Ikigai within demanding organizational landscapes.