How am I supposed to know what to pursue after the A levels?

Here is a very typical conversation I used to have with students:

Me: “So, what are your plans after you leave JC?”

Student: 🤷🏻‍♂️ 🤷🏻‍♀️ 🤷🏻‍♂️ 🤷🏻‍♀️ 🤷🏻‍♂️ 🤷🏻‍♀️

Me: 😱🤦🏻‍♀️😧

Ok, don't panic if you are exactly THAT student I'm talking about.

Discerning what to pursue after the A levels is no easy feat. There are SO many paths from here. SO many factors to consider: Do I follow my passion? But I need to earn enough money to support my family too! What if I choose the wrong field? What are the jobs that are going to be relevant after the pandemic? Where do I even begin?! 😭

In this post, I will briefly introduce the ikigai framework that could be a useful place to begin your exploration and self-reflection.

What is Ikigai?

Ikigai is a Japanese concept which means "a reason for being". According to the Japanese culture, everyone has an ikigai, which is one's calling / purpose in life.

In a nutshell, your ikigai lies at the intersection of four principles:

What you love
What you are good at
What you can be paid for
What the world needs

To find your ikigai, ask yourself these questions:

1. What do I love?

What would I do if I didn't have to worry about making money?
What do I never get bored of doing?
What gets me in the flow – that I forget to eat, sleep, drink, when I'm working on it?

2. What am I good at?

What are my strengths?
What do people look to me for help with?
What do I want to get good at with more education and experience?

3. What can I be paid for?

Are other people currently getting paid for this work?
It may start off as a side hustle, but can I eventually get paid to do this?

4. What does the world need?

What are issues in society that I would like to help solve?
How can I positively contribute to the lives of others in my community?
Would this work still be relevant years / decades from now?

Take some time to honestly respond to these questions in a journal/notebook.

Are there common ideas / phrases that are coming up in the different sections? What are the areas of overlap?

You cannot expect to find your ikigai overnight, but you have to start somewhere. The more thought you put into this self-reflection process, the sooner you will find your ikigai. Revisit and revise your responses in your notebook / journal from time to time.

This process of finding your true calling and purpose in life is all wonderful part of the human experience.

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