Ikigai & AI: A Practical Way to Find Career Direction When You Feel Stuck

Ikigai is a Japanese concept that roughly translates to “a reason for being.” In career conversations, it’s often shown as four overlapping circles - what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for.

While the diagram itself is simple, the thinking behind it is powerful when it’s used properly.

In this episode of Career Clarity Insights, I walk you through how to use Ikigai as a thinking tool, not a pressure-filled exercise to find one perfect answer. I explain each of the four elements, and share why many people get stuck when they try to force an instant overlap.

I then introduce a simple way to pair Ikigai with AI - not to tell you what your next career step should be, but to help you spot patterns, generate options, and stretch your thinking beyond what feels obvious or familiar.

This approach is particularly helpful if you:

• feel stuck and unsure what you want next

• know your current role no longer fits, but can’t see alternatives

• struggle to think beyond the career paths you already know

I also share a simple AI prompt you can use to explore roles and directions that combine your interests, strengths, and real-world constraints - without committing to anything permanent.

PROMPT: 

"I am exploring Ikigai and my next career direction.

These are the things that I love:
[list them here]

These are my strengths and the things I am good at:
[list them here]

Can you combine this with:
• what the world needs
• and what I could realistically be paid for

to help me explore different roles or career paths I could consider next?

Please give me 10 options to explore, and briefly explain why each one could be a good fit."

You can also ask some follow up questions such as: 

"Which of these options best aligns with my strengths and preferred working style (enter them)?"

"What skills would I need to develop for the top 2–3 options?"

"What would be a low-risk way to explore this option over the next 3 months?"

The goal is not clarity overnight, but it is to help expand your thinking and to trust that there is a career our there that will light you up. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• what Ikigai really is (and what it’s not)

• how to use it without putting pressure on yourself

• why patterns matter more than perfect answers

• how AI can support career exploration when used intentionally

• one small action you can take immediately after listening

And remember, you can also listen on spotify here! Be sure to hit follow 💚

Read the full transcript below:

Ikigai & AI: A Practical Way to Find Career Direction When You Feel Stuck

Introduction
Ikigai is a Japanese concept that roughly translates into a reason for being. In career conversations, it’s often shown as four overlapping circles. While the diagram itself is simple, the thinking behind it is powerful when it’s used properly.

At its core, Ikigai brings together four perspectives that help you generate direction: what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for.

What you love
This is about what brings you enjoyment and energy. It’s the kind of work or activity that leaves you feeling engaged rather than depleted. These things often feel easy or familiar, which is why people dismiss them — but energy is one of the strongest indicators of long-term sustainability.

What you’re good at
These include skills you’ve developed through experience, but also strengths that come naturally. Often, other people notice these before you do. Taking time to reflect here is important.

What the world needs
This is where people often get stuck. It doesn’t mean solving global problems or finding a grand purpose. The world needs many things at many levels, and this is where patterns start to matter more than perfection.

What you can be paid for
This brings realism into the picture. Not everything you love needs to make money, but if you’re thinking about career change or progression, long-term financial sustainability matters.

Why people get stuck with Ikigai
The mistake many people make is trying to find a perfect overlap immediately. Ikigai is not about instant answers — it’s about noticing patterns and generating options.

Using Ikigai with AI
AI can be a powerful questioning tool when used well. Start by writing down what you enjoy and what you’re good at without filtering. Then ask AI to combine this with what the world needs and what you can be paid for, and generate career paths or roles to explore.

This is especially helpful if you feel stuck and don’t know what you want, because it expands your thinking beyond what you already know.

Next small step
If something catches your attention, that’s enough. Research it. Have a conversation. Ask better questions. Momentum comes from exploration, not certainty.

Closing
Ikigai is not about finding one perfect answer. It’s about thinking differently. When paired with intentional tools, it helps you move from stuck to curious — and from curious to action.