Job vs Career vs Ikigai

What job would you do for free?

“Find a job you enjoy doing and never work a day in your life” Mark Twain (apparently)

Ikigai (生き甲斐, lit. ’a reason for being’) is a Japaneseconcept referring to something that gives a person a sense of purpose, a reason for living.

The secret may have to do with what Japanese call ikigai. There is no direct English translation, but it’s a term that embodies the idea of happiness in living. Essentially, ikigai is the reason why you get up in the morning.

To those in the West who are more familiar with the concept of ikigai, it’s often associated with a Venn diagram with four overlapping qualities: what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for.

So what am I worth? How do I balance what I enjoy versus what I can be paid for and care for my family?