Personal Development & Coaching

Ikigai

Explore the overlap of what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs and what you can be paid for.

How to use this worksheet
  1. Write long lists first and do not filter. Aim for ten items per box.
  2. Underline anything that appears in two or more boxes. These are your overlaps.
  3. Write your ikigai draft as one sentence starting with "I help ... by ...".
  4. Test it: what is the smallest experiment you could run in the next month?
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Activities and topics that make you lose track of time.

Prompts and example

Ask yourself

  • What would you do for free?
  • What did you love as a child?

Example

- Explaining things to others - Building small tools - Being outdoors

Skills and talents others recognise in you.

Prompts and example

Ask yourself

  • What do people thank you for?
  • What feels easy for you but hard for others?

Example

- Structuring messy problems - Writing clearly - Staying calm under pressure

Problems you see and care about solving.

Prompts and example

Ask yourself

  • Which problems annoy you most?
  • Who could you help most?

Example

- Practical guidance for first-time managers - Less meeting waste

Where there is a market for your skills.

Prompts and example

Ask yourself

  • What do people or companies already pay for?
  • Which activities have a clear buyer?

Example

- Facilitation and training - Consulting on team processes

Where do the four meet? Write one sentence: "I help ... by ... because ...".

Prompts and example

Ask yourself

  • Does it include all four: love, skill, need, payment?
  • What is the smallest experiment to test it this month?

Example

I help first-time managers run better teams by teaching practical tools, because I love teaching, I am good at structuring problems, and this need is real and paid.

Before you finish

About ikigai

Ikigai is a Japanese idea of what makes life worth living. The four-circle diagram popular in the West is a simplification, which is fine as a thinking tool, but it is not a test with a right answer.

Treat your result as a hypothesis. Purpose is usually found by trying things, not by thinking alone.

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