Ikigai: on spectrums and intersections
I had heard that to find the work you should do, add up the totals of the things you're average at - the answer will be more than the sum of its parts. I took this transactional view and ran with it to a popular website that lists the skills the world will require in the future, coupled with the careers that will have the most impact. I told myself, "this is ikigai in action - here I am, matching what I have to offer with what is needed". Yet I was no closer to that elusive career. Since I started the IDG course, I took a deep-dive to find out why. The popular Venn-diagram view of ikigai - the one I held - misses its complexity completely. Ken Mogi, the neuroscientist, states that it is a spectrum, not an intersection; ranging from the grandiose to the miniscule, from life-defining big goals to the small joys in savouring a cup of coffee. We can therefore have more than one - these are known as ikigai-kans. Ikigai arises from absorption in an activity, much like Czikszentmihalyi's flow state. Allied to this, Tsukasa Kobayashi writes that seeing it solely in career terms, as I did, is to confuse it with hatarakigai - the sense that one's work is worth doing. I'm still faced with the quandary of what hatarakigai might look like for me, but to reframe a problem is to get closer to a solution. And the real Ikigai here for me is in the flow-state of being absorbed in creative problem-solving.
Over to you. Where and how do you find your ikigai-san?
For that matter, what does hatarakigai look like for you?
I was doing the same thing, treating ikigai like some career quiz instead of noticing all the little flow moments already happening. The spectrum idea makes sense.
Thanks for sharing this!
@peacestorm1115 you're very welcome, it was a revelation to me too when I found out that the usual approach to Ikigai is all wrong. One writer also notes "there are also yarigai, manabigai and oshiegai – all things that have ‘value’ or ‘worth’, as shown by the use of the suffix -gai. Ken Mogi argues that ikigai is actually an umbrella term for all of these (and more), which integrate in a coherent way in our day-to-day living to bring us joy and meaning."
@DemiMondaine
Thank you so much for sharing this deep and nuanced reflection. It’s refreshing to see someone challenge the oversimplified, ***-friendly version of ikigai and instead explore its cultural and philosophical roots. Your post reminds me how often we reduce complex ideas into checklists or diagrams in search of clarity—when sometimes what we need is space for curiosity and exploration.
Like you, I initially saw ikigai through the lens of productivity: What can I offer that the world needs and will pay me for? But as I’ve grown (and especially through the IDG course), I’ve started recognizing my ikigai in much quieter, more personal places—writing late at night, having honest conversations, noticing tiny shifts in seasons, or helping someone feel understood. These small, everyday experiences give my life a kind of texture that career goals alone never could.
As for hatarakigai, I think I’m still figuring that out too. I imagine it looks like work that aligns with my values, where I’m not just completing tasks but contributing to something that feels meaningful. Maybe it’s less about the job title and more about how I show up in whatever space I’m in.
@jaileybeann16 if I may paraphrase your words a little, 'we reduce things to checklists, when what we should be doing is creating space'. You're quite right, that is exactly what we need to be doing. Thank you for weighing in on this - I'm glad that my post resonated!
@DemiMondaine
This was honestly so validating to read. I have been trying to find that one perfect path for so long, thinking if I just aligned the right strengths and skills I would unlock some final version of myself. But what you said about ikigai being a spectrum really clicked. I think for me, my ikigai is more like a rhythm than a fixed destination. It shows up when I am supporting trauma survivors, creating something meaningful, or just holding space for someone who feels unseen. It is less about having a single purpose and more about how I live in alignment with my values day by day. The clarity comes in pieces and I am learning to be okay with that. Thank you for putting this into words so beautifully.
@Juliet1 thank you for saying this. It does take the pressure off, when you realise that the target you thought you wanted is something of a moveable feast. If you're finding value in the difficult moments, such as trauma support, you've exemplified what Mieko Kamiya said: to see your challenges, or yarigai, as worth pursuing leads to a feeling of ikigai.
