IKIGAI

LIFE PURPOSE
WORKSHEET

What is Your Reason for Being?

What is Ikigai?

Ikigai is a Japanese concept that means “reason for being.” It has been described as the thing that gets you out of bed in the morning. This may be your career, your family, or something else entirely. Once you discover what it is, Ikigai can help you set priorities and reach goals.

How Can Ikigai Help You?

In the US, we tend to work for money. We set our own hours and control our own careers, but we often feel a lack of motivation because there is no clear connection between what we do during the day and how it contributes to a greater goal. By thinking about Ikigai, you can discover your passions and focus your life in a way that is meaningful to you.

How do I discover my reason for being?

Our downloadable Ikigai Worksheet makes it easy to get started.

This Ikigai Worksheet will walk you through each step in the process of identifying your:

  1. ​Skills – What are you Good at?
  2. Passions – What do you Love?
  3. Market – What does the World need?
  4. Pay – What will Reward you well?

Discovering your Ikigai entails a mix of self-reflection and conversation with individuals who know you well, such as family or friends, to think about what brings you satisfaction, fulfillment and joy as well as learn about some of the skills and talents others might see that you have.

Here is what some of our students
have said about this worksheet:

“I loved how easy it was to go through the worksheet. It helped me organize my thoughts and reinforce what I already knew to be true in my heart.”
Alec H.
Releigh, North Carolina

“The Ikigai worksheet is great because it helped me put words to my thoughts. It made me realize that I have always wanted something other than a career in terms of income, but I never had the courage to pursue it. After doing this exercise, I started meeting with people who are successful in what I want to do and they are helping me get started.”
Sophie D.
New Orleans, Louisiana

“This really helps you think about where your passions fit in with having a job that rewards you well. If you want to be happy in life, this is an exercise you must do.”
Beth R.
Portland, Oregon

How do I get it?

Download the Ikigai PDF Worksheet to walk through the process and discover your reason for being.

Cover of the Igikai Life Purpose Workbook