3 Ways Career Counselling Helps You Find Your Ikigai

Sangeetha doesn’t know which stream to pick after Class 10. Her parents want her to opt for the science stream and pursue a career in engineering, but she’s unsure if engineering is her calling. 

Sharan doesn’t know what to major in. He knows that the world abounds with various career paths, but he isn’t sure how to pick the right career path without trying all of them. 

Ritika is in her final year of college and hates her major. She’s stressed and anxious about her future because she doesn’t know which career path to choose after college. 

Rohan earns a decent amount of money but doesn’t like his job. He’s living weekend to weekend and struggling to figure out his next step in life. 

These stories depict the mental state of most Indian youth at various stages of life. They feel confused, stuck, and unable to take a step in the right direction because they don’t know what they want. 

The opposite of this confused state is Ikigai. The word is made of two Japanese words, “iki,” meaning life, and “gai,” which means benefit. The word roughly translates to the purpose of being alive. 

Ikigai can be better understood with the help of the diagram.

According to the concept of Ikigai, you feel a sense of purpose and fulfillment when you’re:

• Pursuing something that you love and are good at. 
• Getting paid to do the above as the world needs it. 

It’s unlikely that you’ll find something that satisfies all the above criteria. However, the idea is to start and discover parts that lead us toward the perfect center. 

But this leaves students and professionals confused and brings them back to square one. 

How must they figure out the answers and run towards Ikigai?

An expert career counselor will make the ordeal easier. They’ll conduct a psychometric test and explain the report in detail to point you in the right direction. 

You’ll have a deeper understanding of your strengths and gain clarity on which areas need improvement. Here are three ways in which career counseling helps you find your Ikigai and regain your mental peace and a sense of purpose. 

Get Unbiased Insights

When it comes to choosing a career, family and friends have plenty of advice and options. 

Although their intentions are noble, their suggestions may not suit you because of their biases towards you. 

But a career counselor will give an unbiased and accurate insight into your personality and channel their expertise into suggesting the best career options for you. 

Moreover, you can have quality conversations with experts who have helped many like you before as they understand what you’re going through. 

Find Your Strengths and Weaknesses

Figuring out your strengths and weaknesses is a time-consuming process, and many don’t know where to begin. 

But the process becomes easy with scientific tools and an expert career counselor. 

Moreover, a one-on-one session with your career counselor will give a deeper insight into your strengths and weaknesses. 

The counselor also prepares a list of career paths you’ll excel at and suggests ways to get started. 

For example, you may have excellent communication skills, but your technical skills might need improvement. 

And you may not prefer a people-intensive career as you don’t like constantly conversing with people despite being good at it. 

Your career counselor will help narrow down your career paths after discussing your likes and dislikes.

The testing and counseling process is a great start towards achieving Ikigai as you’ll know what you love, what you’ll be good at, and understand whether it’s wise to pursue a career in it. 

Rediscover Yourself and Broaden your Horizons

Figuring out your passion and the next step is exhausting and overwhelming. Most times, it drains you of your self-confidence and leaves you doubting your capabilities. 

A career counselor works with you to rewire your mindset and reinstate your self-confidence. 

And this step is vital because Ikigai is about feeling fulfilled, and a fear-based mindset will hinder you from achieving your full potential and going towards Ikigai. 

Conclusion 

Ikigai is a Japanese concept which means pursuing something which leaves you with a sense of fulfillment. 

Many students and professionals are confused about their next step in life and are in no state to achieve Ikigai. 

That’s why it’s essential to seek help from a career counseling professional. Although psychometric tests may not drive you towards Ikigai right away, they’ll help you figure out your strengths and weaknesses. 

Your counselor will translate these results into tangible career options, and having a candid discussion will help you discover your passion, profession, and vocation. 

Found this blog helpful? Please share it with friends and help them understand the importance of Ikigai and excellent career counseling. 

And if you’ve any queries on career counseling, feel free to ask them in the comment section.