There’s a Japanese concept called ikigai (生き甲斐) that roughly translates to “a reason for being.” It sits at the intersection of four fundamental questions:
- What do you love to do?
- What are you good at?
- What does the world need?
- What can you be paid for?
I’ve had it for moments in my life, where my life/work balance would have looked skewed to many. But during those times, work was the pursuit of betterment of myself or the world. And during those times, work doesn’t feel like “work”.
I’m choosing to build it again for me. Here’s to a new year.