Career change: How Ikigai Can Help (and it's not the venn diagram)

What if purpose isn’t something you “find”?

We’ve all seen the diagram: four neat circles — what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for — overlapping perfectly to reveal your ikigai in the centre.

It’s a tidy idea. And in theory, comforting: work out each circle and your life purpose appears. 

Yet real life rarely fits the picture: 

• You might love writing, but not want to monetise it

• You might excel at something that leaves you drained

• You might want to help others but have no idea what that looks like in job form.

Rigidly following the diagram often leads to frustration because it:

• makes you feel incomplete if your work does not tick all four boxes

• turns purpose into a productivity tool

• suggests there is only one role that delivers true meaning

If you have felt behind because your “one thing” has not arrived, this post is for you. We will unpack what ikigai really means and how it can guide a kinder, more flexible career change. career change ikigai

Source: www.ikigaitribe.com

The problem with the venn diagram 

First, a bit of history: the venn diagram that we are used to associate with ikigai is not Japanese wisdom. It is a Western construct.

• 2011. Spanish authors Andreas Zuzunaga publishes the first version of the venn diagram in the book Qué Harías Si No Tuvieras Miedo (What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?)

• 2014. British blogger Marc Winn merged the circles with the word ikigai and posted it on his blog. He later wrote: “I merged a Venn diagram on ‘purpose’ with Dan Buettner’s ikigai concept… I changed one word on a diagram and shared a new meme with the world.” career change ikigai

If the venn diagram works for you as it stands and helps you to find your purpose that's great! But if you want to discover ways to better incorporate the insights from authentic Japanese career change ikigai way keep reading.

What Ikigai Actually Means

Ikigai (生き甲斐) translates loosely as “reason for being” or, poetically, “that which makes life worth living.” 

But unlike the tidy, Westernised version, the original idea of ikigai isn’t about identifying one grand, monetisable purpose. Instead, it’s rooted in small, everyday meaning. 

Japanese researchers describe five core themes: 

1. Start small. Notice and savour minor joys.

   
   

2. Release yourself. Express your true self without fear.

   
   

3. Harmony and sustainability. Contribute to the group and rely on others.

   
   

4. Joy of little things. Value sensory pleasures and simple rituals.

   
   

5. Be here and now. Immerse yourself in activities that create flow.

   
   

It’s not always impressive. It’s not always public.

“Your ikigai can be small. Even drinking your morning coffee can be a source of ikigai.” - Ken Mogi

This everyday lens matters for career changers because it keeps purpose within reach. Rather than waiting for a lightning-bolt calling, you can work with the ingredients you already have. career change ikigai

How to Think of Ikigai in Career Change

1. Ikigai Is Not a Singular, Permanent Purpose

One liberating truth for anyone pursuing a career change: ikigai is not singular or permanent. Purpose shifts with your seasons, skills and context. 

Many career changers feel paralysed by the pressure to identify their one true calling. Yet, as psychologist Hazel Markus reminds us, we all hold multiple possible selves - future versions of yourself that are all plausible and potentially meaningful. 

Purpose is a relationship you revisit, not a label you wear:

• You’re allowed to grow into new purposes

• You’re allowed to outgrow old ones

• You don’t have to pick one forever

So if you’re stuck trying to identify one true calling, ask yourself instead: 

• What roles or identities feel exciting or meaningful right now?

• What version of me do I feel curious to explore next?

• Where might I begin, even without perfect clarity? career change ikigai

2. Ikigai Doesn’t Have to Come from Work

Ikigai can live beyond your job title. For some people, their career can be a vessel for purpose. For some others, it is the thing that founds, supports, protects or makes space for the parts of life where your ikigai lives.  

So when planning your career change, ask not only "what purpose should I find in my career" but also: 

• What’s most meaningful in my life right now? 

• What role does my career play in relation to that? 

3. Ikigai is not defined by money or approval

Linking ikigai too tightly to money or market demand risks confusing external validation with inner alignment. Chasing someone else’s idea of success is one of the fastest way to lose your sense of direction. 

The tension between what feels meaningful and what looks successful on paper (respectable, stable or profitable) is one of the most common struggles I see in people going through career change. And it’s often what keeps them stuck.

So start by asking yourself:

• What does my definition of success look like? What do I value?

4. Ikigai Doesn’t Have to Be What You’re “Good” At (Yet)

The venn diagram assumes that you must look at what you excel at to find meaning. This is especially discouraging if you’re exploring something new. 

In reality, purpose often begins with curiosity and grows through practice. 

Especially in the age of AI and reskilling, the question should be not only “What am I the best at?” but also:

"What am I willing to get better at because it matters to me?"

5. Ikigai Can Ground You In Your "Messy Middle"

Career change often brings turbulence: a shifting identity, financial uncertainty, and the loss of old routines and validation points. But meaning hasn’t disappeared from your life, you just need smaller anchors. 

This is where recognising ikigai in the small things can steady you.

So if you’re planning a career change, building your resilience toolkit might start from identifying small sources of your ikigai.

Ask yourself: 

• What tiny rituals, roles, or contributions bring me peace or energy right now?

• How can I protect those while the bigger picture takes shape? career change ikigai

What Finding Alignment Actually Looks Like

Alignment isn’t a formula. It’s a felt sense of this fits who I am right now.

• Expressing parts of yourself that feel honest

• Noticing growth, momentum, or curiosity

• Being surrounded by people who energise you

• Having a rhythm that lets you live 

And it can evolve with you. career change ikigai

You Don’t Need a Label to Live with Purpose

Ikigai is not a destination. It’s not a shortcut to clarity, a remedy for burnout, or a self-help silver bullet. career change ikigai

It’s a mindset: one that invites presence, reflection, and alignment with what matters. It allows for trial and error, for shifting seasons and imperfect days. 

You don’t need a singular passion or a job title that sums up your soul. You need a way of living and working that feels honest, energising and yours. 

If you would like help bringing this kind of clarity into your career change, I’d love to help. Book a consultation.