Understand Your Strengths and Increase Self Awareness with Ikigai

In Okinawa, Japan, people live longer than almost anywhere else in the world. Why? They have Ikigai. They understand their strengths, and they know their purpose.

Ikigai is a combination of two Japanese words: iki, meaning life, and kai, meaning effect or result. It translates to “something that gives a person a purpose and reason for being”. 

The Venn diagram below, created by British community activist Marc Winn in 2014, illustrates the elements of Ikigai. 

Ikigai can help you uncover your strengths 

I think of Ikigai as a framework to find the three to five things that are your superpowers. If I asked you what your superpowers were right now, you might start listing the tasks at work you are really good at. 

But people don’t want to hear what you do at your job. They want to know what your strengths are, and that requires self-awareness.

Did you catch the Google Pixel ad that ran during the Super Bowl? 

It tells the story of a stay-at-home dad who is getting ready to re-enter the workforce. He uses Gemini, Google’s new AI tool, to help him practice for a job interview. 

Gemini asks, “Tell me about the job that taught you the most?”

Well, it was a role where I learned to take constructive criticism. [His baby starts crying because she doesn’t like her food.]

I got pretty used to working long hours with a small team. [He gets up in the middle of the night to tend to his crying infant.]

I got very comfortable multitasking. [Talking on the phone, baby strapped to his chest, making food in the kitchen.]

Gemini says, “Not bad – but try rephrasing your answers to sound more confident.”

“I was asked to make quick decisions and do a lot of negotiating.” And so on.

He turned his parenting skills into strengths that would resonate during the interview.

To understand your strengths, increase your self-awareness

Understanding your strengths – your superpowers – requires you to increase your self-awareness. To go back to the Ikigai illustration:

• What do you love?
• What does the world need?
• What can you be paid for?
• What are you good at?

It’s all about your purpose. Your purpose is NOT your job. I have worked with so many people who tell me, “I cannot retire! My work is my life.” In every case, they don’t know their strengths.

This is when I go deep to understand what it is they really do. When we pull those strengths out, it helps the person understand, “Oh, I have so many skills that are transferable to other things.” 

With an increased self-awareness of your strengths, you can spot other places – other jobs, careers, industries, volunteer opportunities – where your skills are in-demand.

A job ad might not announce, “You are going to run volunteer missions across the world.” It might say, “You will develop a program that brings volunteers into high-need areas around the world.” 

This is what’s so powerful about Ikigai. You will see a future beyond your current set of work skills. You will find your purpose.

If you’re considering retirement, looking for a new career, reentering the workforce after time off, or starting to work in an office five days a week for the first time, Ikigai will help you make the transition. One-on-one coaching will help you increase your self-awareness and find your Ikigai.

Reach out to schedule a session by emailing us at [email protected]