How are your New Year’s resolutions coming along? If they’re already falling by the wayside, perhaps they weren’t the RIGHT resolutions for you, and you need to find your ‘Ikigai’.
If you’ve never come across this term before, this could be an ‘ah ha! moment’ for you.
Ikigai is a Japanese belief that refers to your ‘reason for being.’ ‘Iki’ in Japanese means ‘life,’ and ‘gai’ describes value or worth. Your ikigai is consequently your ‘raison d’être’ or reason for being. It’s what motivates you and puts a spring in your step.
While traditional Japanese philosophy focuses on finding your bliss, Western understanding interprets ikigai as a method of finding your dream career. Many people find Ikigai in creative careers, such as writing. As the saying goes, ‘Do something you love for a living, and you never work a day in your life’.
The Westernised version of ikigai says you’ve found your dream career when it includes these four qualities:
- What the world needs
- What you can be paid for
- What you excel at
- What you love doing
With these four points in mind, choosing a writing career may just tick all the boxes of the Ikigai concept for you.
Let’s take a look:
- What you love – well, only you will know that. Perhaps writing excites you, but lack the confidence to pursue it as a career. Whether you prefer business writing or creative writing, The Writers College has courses to suit your needs.
- What you’re good at – Does the written word come naturally to you? Even so, honing your skills will take your writing to a professional level. Writers tend to be perfectionists and are seldom happy with the outcome of their efforts. Perhaps grammar is your weak point, or you need help in developing a strong storyline; no matter your Achilles heel, you’ll find a course to overcome this.
- What you can be paid for – whether you’re looking to freelance as a copy and content writer or fulfil your dream of writing a novel, writing can be a lucrative and flexible career.
- What the world needs – whether it’s a gripping novel, or well-researched non-fiction, knowing that your work is appreciated for its entertainment value or expertise is rewarding.
So, if you feel your life is lacking purpose and you are looking to do something meaningful, consider a writing course from the many on offer at The Writers College. Be inspired by our student success stories and testimonials.
Further reading
Face Challenges, Take Risks and Write About Them
