This material is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical, psychological, or psychotherapeutic advice. If you are experiencing an acute psychological condition or need professional support, please contact a doctor, psychologist, psychotherapist, or crisis service.
Olena works as an accountant and loves caring for plants. At weekends she repots them, exchanges cuttings with a neighbour and notices a new leaf. Then she sees the four-circle ikigai diagram and thinks: “If nobody pays me for this, perhaps it isn’t my thing yet.” An activity that brought joy suddenly seems insufficient.
Ikigai invites attention to what makes you want to participate in your life. That may include people, work, caring, learning or a small activity you return to. Not everything meaningful needs to become a profession.
AI-generated illustration. A fictional everyday activity with personal meaning.
What ikigai means
The Japanese word ikigai relates to what gives life value and joy. A Japanese government article names children, friends, work and hobbies as possible sources. This is broader than one ideal career. A small daily activity can carry personal significance too.
For Olena, more than a plant is involved. She sees the effects of care, shares experience and spends time without being assessed against work targets. The activity does not lose its meaning because it earns no income.
Where the four-circle diagram came from
Marc Winn explains that in 2014 he combined the word ikigai with Andrés Zuzunaga’s existing purpose diagram. This popularised four questions: what you love, what you can do, what others need and what you can be paid for. It can serve as a way to explore work, rather than a mandatory structure for a meaningful life.
Expert experience: the diagram creator’s intention
On his website, Winn describes the intention: “I was trying to help myself think”. That context gives the diagram a practical place: it can organise questions without deciding whether your life is valuable enough. Quotation source.
Comparison: ikigai and a framework for thinking about work
| Question | Ikigai in a broader sense | Four circles as an exercise |
|---|---|---|
| What you explore | What makes life personally meaningful | How interest, skills, needs and payment might connect |
| Is income required? | Personal meaning need not involve payment | Payment is one separate question |
| Scope | Relationships, care, everyday activities and work | Primarily choosing or testing a direction of activity |
| Outcome | Understanding what you want to give attention to | A hypothesis for a small practical experiment |
How to use the four questions
What interests me or matters to me?
Record specific episodes rather than demanding a lifelong passion. What did you return to during the past month? What did you want to continue? Interest can be quiet: understanding a difficult question, teaching a friend or making dinner.
What can I do, and what am I willing to learn?
Separate an existing skill from expecting immediate excellence. Olena can care for several plant species, but that is not yet experience running a flower shop. Learning can be the next step without an immediate business decision.
Who needs this?
Name a particular person or group rather than demanding that you “serve the universe.” Ask what help is missing and test the answer. Rest and private interests do not have to demonstrate usefulness to other people.
How does this fit with income and resources?
For a potential career change, check demand, costs, time, training and financial reserves. For a hobby, identifying affordable costs may be enough. A job can support a life containing other sources of meaning.
When the framework becomes a demand
Olena reads that a “true calling” must unite all four circles and judges her hobby inadequate. Shame and anxiety follow, then a pressured search for ways to earn from plants. Rest becomes another exam. In this mechanism, pressure is maintained by the rule “Only something meeting every condition counts.”
She can examine the rule itself: does she want a shop, or room for caring and connection? The answer helps her choose an appropriate step. The difference between personal interest and external expectations is also explored in the article on calling.
What research shows
A 2022 study examined associations between ikigai and subsequent health and wellbeing among Japanese adults aged 65 and over in two analytic samples: 6,441 and 8,041 participants. These were observational data, not a trial of the diagram or proof that completing it extends life. Study abstract.
Practice: notice meaning and test one step
For a week, briefly note what you did, whom you were with, what mattered and how you felt afterwards. Then choose one episode you would like to repeat. Make realistic room in your calendar and check whether the activity still feels wanted without having to be useful, profitable or perfect.
If exploring a new career direction, define a small reversible experiment: a conversation with a practitioner, a short course or a trial task. Record costs and a criterion for reviewing the experience. Use the MriyaRun online diary for notes and the article on SMART goals for a testable next step. A diary supports observation rather than delivering a predetermined calling.
FAQ
Do I need to earn money from my ikigai?
No. Relationships, care and unpaid activities can be meaningful. Examine income separately when planning a career change.
Must all four circles overlap?
No. This is a modern reflection framework, not a condition for a meaningful life. It can help you examine a work direction.
What if I cannot find anything meaningful?
Begin with small accessible moments rather than demanding an immediate life goal. If loss of interest persists and disrupts daily life, seek professional support.
Sources
JapanGov — Ikigai; Marc Winn — About; Winn (2014) — What is your Ikigai?; Okuzono et al. (2022). Olena’s story and the writing practice are editorial examples, not a clinical case or health assessment.