In 2017, I lost my job.
I was Head of Product at a startup out of Stockholm. One day, out of nowhere, the call came. Just like that, my identity disappeared.
I felt useless. Directionless. Like I'd been walking with GPS and someone had switched it off.
With nothing to lose, I grabbed a pencil and drew four overlapping circles in a notebook.
That messy sketch helped me find direction again. It helped me land a job at Google. And years later, I still come back to it whenever I need to recalibrate.
The concept is called Ikigai.
What Ikigai actually means
Ikigai is a Japanese concept that roughly translates to "a reason to be." Your reason for getting up in the morning.
You've probably seen the diagram. Four circles overlapping in the middle: what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can get paid for. The overlap of all four is your Ikigai.
But most people use it wrong. They treat it like a quiz with a right answer. They try to fill in the circles perfectly before they're allowed to do anything with it.
That's not how it works.
Step 1: Brainstorm. Don't filter.
Open a blank page. Draw the four circles. And just fill them in.
Don't think about whether an answer is impressive or practical or realistic. Just write what's true.
What do you love? Everything. Activities, topics, moments, conversations. Don't limit it to professional stuff.
What are you good at? Everything. Including the things that feel obvious or small. Especially those.
What does the world need? I like to zoom in here. Not world peace, but: what causes, problems, or conversations do you actually want to contribute to?
What can you get paid for? Save this circle for last. Let the others inspire it.
Step 2: Simplify.
Now look at what you've written and start reducing. What patterns emerge? What words appear in more than one circle? What themes keep showing up?
You're not looking for one perfect answer. You're looking for direction. A compass, not a destination.
Step 3: Share it.
This is the step most people skip. And it's probably the most important one.
Show your Ikigai to someone who knows you well. Ask them: does this look like me?
You'll learn two things. First, whether you've been honest. The people who know you can see your blind spots. Second, and more surprisingly... sharing it creates opportunities.
When I shared mine with a former colleague, he remembered it a few weeks later. He called me. He had a role opening up at Google. He said my skills fit exactly.
I got the job at Google because I dared to share my Ikigai.
It's not a one-time exercise
I redo mine about once a year. Because I change. The world changes. What felt true at 32 might not feel true at 40.
I'm doing it again right now, during what I'm calling a micro-retirement in Vietnam, asking myself: what version of me do I want to grow into next?
Ikigai isn't about finding the perfect answer. It's about living a little more aligned every day. A little more honest. A little more you.
If you want to go deeper, I've written more about the Ikigai framework and rediscovering purpose here. And the Life Report is a great companion exercise that shows you where the gaps are between where you are and where you want to be.
