On Finding a Reason for Being

It's a question so many people struggle with: How can you make your life feel more meaningful?

One technique for considering this lies in a popular Venn diagram that illustrates the Japanese concept of ikigai, or "reason for being." It's comprised of overlapping circles that depict four elements that contribute to a sense of fulfillment:

1. What you love
2. What the world needs
3. What you can be paid for
4. What you are good at

Though the idea is focused broadly on finding meaning in your life, ikigai often comes up during conversations around choosing what to do for work.

This makes sense, because work is such a major contributor to our overall sense of purpose. Many wealthy people continue working long after they could comfortably retire. Why? Because without work, it's easy for feelings of listlessness and lack of direction to creep in.

But is finding employment with all four of the elements in the above diagram a realistic goal for most people?

And are we putting too much pressure on our jobs to give our lives meaning?

Simone Stolzoff argues that we should stop trying to put all of our eggs in one basket and remember to look elsewhere for our purpose in life.

In the same way a romantic partner shouldn't be expected to meet every single one of your emotional and social needs, relying on one's work for all of your life's meaning can lead to a brittle sense of fulfillment.

Tie too much of your identity up in your work, and you risk neglecting other areas of your life.

The solution? According to Stolzoff, you should cultivate a portfolio of meaning. By drawing from a wide range of sources — friendships, hobbies, sprititual practices, and other activities — you can weave together a web of sources of fulfillment.

We live in a culture that tends to push people to find work that they find meaningful. However, if work is simply what enables you to foster other sources of meaning, isn't that enough?

I feel lucky to have work that I find fulfilling. But I wonder if that's really what our culture should set as the goal. After all, passions are created, not simply discovered, and meaning can be found in so many places.

Perhaps a better message for people looking for a reason for being would be this:

Never stop exploring, cultivate strong relationships, work hard, get lost in the right direction, follow your curiosity, stay hungry, and open doors for others along the way.