“Find Your IKIGAI…”

That’s what I kept being reminded by my mentor during our 1-2-1 sessions.  Back when I was trying to find a new path in the exciting playground of business ownership.  I wanted to be in charge of my own destiny and gain the work life balance I wanted.

I had met him years ago during my “explorer” years.  He’d been a part of my journey of Personal Revolution from the early days.  I presented new business ideas to him every time we met; usually once every six months or so when I visited yet another business show.

So, what is this IKIGAI my mentor kept asking me to find? According to the fountain of all knowledge, aka Wikipedia:

“IKIGAI is a Japanese concept that means a reason for being. The word IKIGAIis usually used to indicate the source of value in one’s life or the things that make one’s life worthwhile. The word translated to English roughly means, things that you live for or the reason for which you wake up in the morning”

My quest to find a new vocation was to gain personal freedom.  To spend quality time with my son during his long school holidays.  To return some much needed passion and vitality back into my life. 

I had spent a quarter of a century in a career that had been rewarding for many years, but had recently plateaued.  It wasn’t leaving me fulfilled anymore (I can’t believe I’m that old!).  The aspects of the job I had most loved were training and mentoring students and young professionals.  

I had all the essential ingredients for a start-up business owner.  I was passionate, resilient, determined and open minded about all opportunities that presented themselves to me.  I knew my strength was in building human connections and I adored investing in my personal development.  

I’d been a fan of NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) and a follower of Tony Robins since the early 90s, and I was passionate about helping people achieve the best version of themselves.  So when an opportunity presented itself to obtain a diploma in NLP and coaching, I didn’t hesitate.  I knew I’d have the best tools to help people in realising their own journeys of personal revolution.

• What you LOVE doing

• What you’re GOOD at doing

• What the WORLD NEEDS

• What you can get PAID FOR

It’s more about finding a vocation that yields results than finding a job that pays the mortgage.  It’s about fulfilling your heart’s desires.  Your life’s purpose and discovering a more meaningful you, where you do the things that really matter to you.  It’s about feeling useful and therefore having a reason to live for.

One interesting fact I came across in my research was that there are more centurions in Okinawa where the concept of IKIGAI stemmed from, than anywhere else in the world.  That’s partly due to their diet, and partly due to the fact that they have a sense of purpose in their lives.  A feeling of being valuable in society due to their adopted roles and responsibilities.

Do you want to know something interesting?  It just happens that I was looking for my IKIGAI when I became an explorer and started my wonderful journey of Personal Revolution.  Except I didn’t yet know that the Japanese had summed it up with this one beautiful word… IKIGAI.  

Have you started the search for your IKIGAI and your own Personal Revolution? If not, what are you waiting for? Call me and let’s start exploring what your life’s purpose is and how to get you there… ✨✨✨