Take this Free Ikigai Test to Reveal your Life Purpose
Are you on a quest to align your passions with your career?
This free ikigai test helps you explore this by uncovering the sweet spot between your interests, abilities, societal contributions, and potential earnings.
No fluff, just a straightforward series of questions guiding you toward fulfilling your unique purpose. Dive in to discover the work you love that the world truly needs.
Key Takeaways
The Ikigai Test is a self-discovery tool that helps align your values, skills, and passions with what the world needs, unlocking a path to personal fulfilment and true purpose.
Discovering your Ikigai can lead to increased motivation, better stress management, and a long and happy life by revealing the convergence of your passions, profession, vocation, and mission - leading you to find joy in your everyday activities.
Integrating Ikigai into daily life involves setting clear goals, embracing change, nurturing relationships, and developing supportive habits and rituals that resonate with your life’s purpose.
What is Ikigai?
Ikigai, derived from the Japanese words ‘iki’, meaning life, and ‘gai’, implying value or worth, is the Japanese philosophy for a joyful, purposeful existence.
This holistic approach involves the alignment of your personal values, skills, and passions with what the world needs, fostering a sense of worth and value in your life.
The Ikigai Test is a powerful tool designed to aid you on your journey of self-discovery. It helps identify your values and passions, assess your skills, and contemplate your potential contributions to the world. More than a simple personality test, the Ikigai Test is your guide to a more rewarding life, leading you on an enlightening path of self-discovery and personal fulfilment.
The Four Elements of Ikigai
The Ikigai diagram is a visual representation of your life’s purpose and passion, serving as a compass guiding your Ikigai journey. At its core are four key elements:
Passion: What you love
Vocation: What the world needs
Profession: What you can be paid for
Mission: What you’re good at
Understanding these elements and their intersections is essential in analyzing your Ikigai test results. It’s at the intersection of these four elements where your unique Ikigai lies, illuminating your path to personal fulfillment and potential income. As the various elements align, your Ikigai begins to take shape.
Inspiring Ikigai Examples
Individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences can discover their ikigai—each blending passion, profession, vocation, and mission into their lives. These examples of people who found their personal ikigai offer a rich blend of inspiration for those seeking purpose through small business ventures and personal fulfillment.
1. Maria - The Community Cafe Owner
Maria grew up in a small town, always fascinated by her grandmother's ability to bring the community together with her cooking. After years in a corporate marketing job, she realized her true passion lay in creating a space for people to connect. She opened a café that not only serves locally sourced coffee but also doubles as a venue for community events. Her ikigai lies in fostering community ties and supporting local farmers, which fulfills her and sustains her business.
2. Tom - The Tech Tutor
After a rewarding career in software development, Tom found his ikigai in retirement. He started a small business where he teaches coding to kids in his community. He believes in empowering the next generation with technology skills, blending his passion for education with his tech expertise, and finds immense joy in seeing his young students thrive.
3. Alicia - The Sustainable Fashion Advocate
Alicia, once a high-flying fashion executive, shifted gears after witnessing the wasteful practices within the fashion industry. She launched a brand that uses recycled materials to create high-end fashion items. Her ikigai is to revolutionize the fashion industry by promoting sustainability, proving that style and environmental consciousness can coexist.
Benefits of Discovering Your Ikigai
Ikigai isn’t just a philosophy; it’s a pathway to a more fulfilling life. Embracing your Ikigai leads to greater life satisfaction and happiness by aligning actions with your personal purpose and bringing joy through doing what you love. The benefits of finding your Ikigai are numerous, with a profound positive impact not only on your mental well-being and mindset, especially if you want to start your own business or venture, but also on your overall health.
Some of the benefits include:
Increased motivation and drive
Improved focus and productivity
Enhanced creativity and innovation
Greater resilience and ability to overcome challenges
Improved relationships and social connections
Increased sense of fulfillment and purpose
By discovering and living your Ikigai, you can experience a more meaningful and fulfilling life, aligned with your life’s purpose.
In fact, the pursuit of Ikigai contributes to a longer, healthier life. The centenarians in Okinawa, known for their longevity, attribute their long and happy lives to living in accordance with their Ikigai.
Moreover, aligning your life with your Ikigai increases psychological resilience, enabling better stress management, and motivates you to overcome challenges.
The Ikigai Test: Finding your Life Mission Starts Here
At this point, you might be wondering, “How do I find my Ikigai?” The answer lies in the Ikigai questionnaire, a tool designed to guide you step-by-step in your journey of self-discovery.
This comprehensive ikigai questionnaire starts with self-reflection on what you truly love to do, delving into your present skills and undeveloped talents, ensuring a detailed and thorough approach.
The results of this personality test provide an in-depth analysis of:
what you love
what you’re good at
what you can be paid to do
insights into your personality
knowledge and skills
job archetype
work values
Essentially, it’s a deep dive into everything that makes you uniquely you.
The Ikigai Test Questions
As you engage with each question, approach it with an open mind and a willingness to explore your innermost desires and aspirations. There are no right or wrong answers—only insights into what truly matters to you. Take your time to reflect on each question thoughtfully, and don't be afraid to dig deep and be honest with yourself.
While initially it may seem that you can answer these questions in just a few minutes, it’s worth spending days or weeks contemplating your answers. Ask friends and family for their input - they can often know you better than you know yourself!
Remember, your ikigai isn't just about finding a career or a job—it's about finding a sense of purpose and fulfillment in every aspect of your life. So, embrace the process, trust your instincts, and let your inner compass guide you towards a life filled with meaning and joy.
Passion
What activities make you lose track of time when you're doing them?
Reflect on moments in your life when you felt the most fulfilled. What were you doing at those times?
If money were no object, how would you spend your days?
Make a list of hobbies or interests you've always wanted to try but haven't yet.
Mission
What societal or global issues do you feel most passionate about solving?
Imagine yourself in a leadership position. What kind of positive change would you want to bring about?
Reflect on moments when you've felt a strong sense of purpose. What were you doing at those times?
If you could make one lasting contribution to the world, what would it be?
Vocation
What skills or talents do you possess that you enjoy using?
Reflect on past jobs or projects. Which aspects did you enjoy the most?
If you had to teach something, what topic would you choose?
Consider the intersection of your skills and what the world needs. Where do they overlap?
Profession
What careers or industries intrigue you the most?
Reflect on your career goals. Are they aligned with your passions and values?
If you could have any job title, what would it be?
Research potential career paths that align with your passions, mission, and vocation.
Integration Exercise: Now, take a moment to review your answers from each section. Look for common themes or overlaps between your passions, mission, vocation, and potential professions.
Write a short narrative or create a vision board that integrates these elements into a coherent picture of your ikigai—the intersection of what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for.
This exercise will help you gain clarity on your purpose and direction in life.
Analyzing Your Ikigai Test Results
The key to finding your Ikigai is to look for factors or words in each section which align or overlap.
Interpreting Your Ikigai Diagram
The Ikigai diagram is a crucial tool for visualizing the overlap between passion, vocation, profession, and mission, providing clarity and direction in finding your life’s purpose. It’s a visual aid that maps out the intersections between the four key elements after taking the Ikigai test.
The sweet spot at the center of the Ikigai diagram is where your interests, skills, values, and knowledge most closely align.
It’s here that your true Ikigai is found. Identifying patterns and actions from past activities and future plans can aid in recognizing your true Ikigai through the diagram.
Identifying Your Unique Ikigai
Your Ikigai is as unique as your fingerprint, a reflection of your deeply personal aspects coupled with your aspirations for growth and adaptability to life’s changes. To determine your unique Ikigai, reflect on how your passions, profession, vocation, and mission converge, revealing the activities and pursuits that embody your purpose.
Embracing continuous learning and improving skills connected to your Ikigai fosters personal growth and enhances your ability to contribute value to the world. As you evolve and your circumstances change, it’s beneficial to revisit and adjust your understanding of Ikigai to ensure it remains aligned with your current situation and aspirations.
Integrating Your Ikigai into Daily Life
Living your Ikigai is about weaving the threads of passion, vocation, mission, and profession into the fabric of your daily life. Exploring new interests and developing skills are essential steps in the journey towards discovering and living your Ikigai.
Establishing rituals and developing a portfolio career are practical ways to bring Ikigai into your everyday life. The essence of Ikigai lies in the unique balance and contentment each individual finds within their life path, marked by a series of self-improvement steps. Ready to integrate your Ikigai into your daily routines?
Setting Goals and Creating a Plan
Living your Ikigai requires a clear plan and defined goals. Here are some steps to help you achieve your Ikigai:
Identify your core values and personal passions that contribute to the larger community.
Set incremental goals that align with your Ikigai.
Document your objectives and create a roadmap to track your progress.
Stay committed to your goals and overcome any resistance or obstacles that come your way.
By following these steps, you can live a fulfilled life, experiencing a fulfilling life aligned with your Ikigai.
Remember, your Ikigai is dynamic and may evolve. Regularly reassessing your goals and maintaining a willingness to adapt your plans is crucial for continuous alignment with your Ikigai. Ready to set your goals and create your Ikigai plan?
Developing Habits and Rituals
Habits and rituals play an instrumental role in living your Ikigai. Activities that bring a sense of fulfillment and reflect your core values and passions should be incorporated into your daily routine. Establishing routines that incorporate elements of Ikigai, like exercise or learning, can lead to a more balanced and fulfilling daily life.
Daily rituals that connect to your Ikigai may include hobbies like gardening, painting, or playing a musical instrument. Regular rituals like a morning walk or meditation can be linked to living your Ikigai.
Ready to develop your Ikigai habits and rituals?
Nurturing Relationships and Building a Support Network
Your relationships play a significant role in your Ikigai journey, as they contribute to your life purpose. Roles and relationships contribute to Ikigai by bringing a sense of purpose and can be expressed through various roles like:
parenting
caring
friendships
volunteering
Sharing experiences with a supportive social network can reduce stress, enhance the feeling of connectedness during periods of change, and contribute to better mental health.
Building strong relationships requires consistent engagement and presence in interactions. Being open-minded and possessing good communication skills are crucial for connecting with others and developing meaningful relationships. Are you ready to nurture your relationships and build your support network?
Overcoming Challenges in Pursuing Your Ikigai
Pursuing your Ikigai is an exciting journey, but like all journeys, it comes with its share of challenges. Some of the barriers that people may face include fear and self-doubt, as well as societal pressures and a lack of clarity, all of which can create a sense of limitations. However, these challenges can be overcome.
Achieving balance is crucial, and while perfect alignment of all Ikigai aspects may not always be possible, incremental steps towards incorporating Ikigai elements are encouraged. To sustain motivation, it is beneficial to establish habits that are both enjoyable and contribute to long-term goals related to Ikigai.
Are you ready to overcome the challenges of pursuing your Ikigai?
Dealing with Fear and Resistance
Fear is a natural part of the journey toward living your Ikigai. Embracing fear as an indicator of growth helps in overcoming the challenges faced when pursuing Ikigai. Accepting fears as a natural aspect of change fosters positive mindset shifts and enhances resilience.
Recognizing personal boundaries is crucial for managing resistance to reaching your Ikigai-related goals. Countering the negative internal voice, which is a part of your inner self, can aid in handling fear by performing actions contrary to its discouraging suggestions. Are you ready to conquer your fears and resistances?
Embracing Change and Personal Growth
Change is the only constant in life, and it’s no different when pursuing your Ikigai. Embracing growth and change is essential for living your Ikigai as it allows for ongoing personal and professional development. Both small and significant changes intentionally can lead to personal development and a deeper sense of fulfillment.
Creativity in daily life encourages curiosity and adaptability, leading to greater success in personal growth and professional life. Engaging in creative activities promotes flexibility and resourcefulness, aiding in the adaptation to new experiences and challenges. How ready are you to embrace change and personal growth?
Additional Tools and Resources for Discovering Your Ikigai
The journey towards discovering your Ikigai is enhanced by various tools and resources.
Personality assessments and career quizzes can help discover compatible career paths.
Professional Ikigai tests provide a comprehensive analysis of your personality, uncovering your unique ‘weirdness,’ job archetype, and offering a list of suitable careers.
Specialized psychometric tools like the Dispositional Flow Scale-2 and the Satisfaction With Life Scale can assess flow in context with Ikigai and rate life satisfaction for further personal development.
Online resources including Ikigai tests, worksheets, books and coaching services are also available to facilitate the discovery and development of your Ikigai.
Summary
In conclusion, Ikigai is a powerful Japanese philosophy that serves as a guide to a more fulfilling life. From understanding its origins and benefits to taking the Ikigai Test, analyzing your results, integrating your Ikigai into daily life, and overcoming challenges, the journey towards discovering your Ikigai is a transformative one. Remember, your Ikigai is unique to you, a reflection of your passions, vocation, mission, and profession. Embrace the journey, overcome the challenges, and step into a life of joy and fulfillment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check my ikigai?
To check your ikigai, start by reflecting on what you love to do, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can get paid for. These four questions can guide you towards discovering your purpose and passion in life. So, start by asking yourself these questions to begin your journey of finding your ikigai.
What are the four questions of ikigai?
The four questions of ikigai revolve around what you love, what the world needs, what you are good at, and what you can get paid for. Reflecting on these elements can help you design a life aligned with your purpose.
What is Ikigai?
Ikigai is a Japanese concept that combines personal values, skills, and passions to create a sense of purpose and direction in life. It can help you find fulfillment and satisfaction in your daily activities.
What are the origins of Ikigai?
Ikigai, a term that translates to ‘a reason to get up in the morning' or a ‘raison d'être', is deeply ingrained in Japanese culture. The term is derived from ‘iki' meaning ‘to live' and ‘gai' signifying ‘reason', which together represent ‘a reason to live', integrating the word ‘kai', which encapsulates the realization of expectations and hopes.
Far more than a mere word, Ikigai holds deep cultural significance in Japan, embodying a belief in the intrinsic value of life and the happiness attainable from living in alignment with one's purpose. How does this Japanese concept translate to your life? Let's delve deeper.
How can the Ikigai Test help me?
Taking the Ikigai test can help you identify your values and passions to better understand your potential contributions to the world, making it an insightful tool for personal growth.
What are the 10 rules of Ikigai?
The 10 rules of Ikigai are a series of rules to implement into your life to help you achieve meaning and peace. They include moving slowly, never retire, surround yourself with good friends and living in the moment.
How can I overcome fear and resistance in my Ikigai journey?
Embrace fear as a sign of growth, set boundaries, silence negative self-talk, and prioritize self-care to overcome fear and resistance in your Ikigai journey.
How can I develop a career which incorporates purpose?
To develop a career that incorporates purpose, focusing on roles within organizations that align with your values, such as B Corps, can be a transformative step. B Corps are companies certified for their commitment to social and environmental sustainability. For guidance on how to navigate this career path, take a look at the "7 Top Tips to Land your Ideal Impactful Career" article which offers insights into finding meaningful work in such organizations.
How can I start a business which incorporates purpose?
To start a business that incorporates purpose, aligning your venture's mission with impactful goals from the start to create a strong foundation. The IMPCT Blueprint can serve as a valuable resource in this journey, providing step-by-step guidance on how to build a business that not only makes profit but also contributes positively to society. This approach ensures that your business operations reflect your commitment to making a difference.