How to Find Your Purpose 🎯

During my senior year of high school, I had a rough idea of what I wanted to do after graduation. I knew I wanted to attend college, study computer science, and work as a software engineer.

But I hadn’t planned much beyond that. I didn’t know whether I wanted to pursue a specific field of computer science. I didn’t know if I wanted to pursue a particular kind of software engineering. I planned to figure that stuff out in undergrad.

Little did I know that I’d dive into entrepreneurship… and I couldn’t be more grateful.

What Do I Do Today?

Before I begin today’s newsletter, let me introduce myself briefly! Many of you may know me from my social media accounts, where we’ve grown a flourishing community of students from all over the world.

But in addition to content creation, I run a college admissions business called Next Admit. In fact, I split my time almost evenly between running the business and creating content.

I’m incredibly passionate about technology, education, business, web development, marketing, and content creation—and have been for most of my life. My work today is at the intersection of these passions, the skills I learned in college, and the impact I want to leave on the world.

This brings me to the topic of today’s newsletter… ikigai, a concept I recently encountered.

What is Ikigai?

Ikigai is a Japanese philosophy about finding purpose and fulfillment in life. The term comes from the Japanese words iki and gai, which mean “life” and “reason.”

The concept of ikigai suggests that your purpose exists at the intersection of four factors:

1. What you love

2. What you are good at

3. What the world needs

4. What you can be paid for

Here’s a Venn diagram that illustrates this concept:

This is a beautiful framework for finding purpose, though it feels idealistic. Seldom do people find something at the intersection of all four factors. If you can find yourself at the intersection of three or even just two of these points, however, I feel you can find lasting happiness.

If you have some time—and even if you’re young—I encourage you to think about your ikigai. Doing so can steer you in the right direction academically and guide your pursuits throughout high school and college. Here are some questions to help you think about each of the four areas:

What You Love

• What activities or hobbies make you lose track of time because you enjoy them so much?

• What topics or subjects could you talk about passionately for hours without getting bored?

• What experiences or moments have brought you the most joy and satisfaction?

What You Are Good At

• What skills or talents do people often compliment you on or seek your help with?

• What tasks or challenges do you find relatively easy to accomplish compared to others?

• In which areas do you consistently achieve good results or receive positive feedback?

What the World Needs

• What issues or problems deeply resonate with you or make you want to take action?

• What causes or movements are you passionate about supporting or contributing to?

• Where do you see a gap or need in your community or the world that you feel compelled to address?

What You Can Be Paid For

• What skills or services do you possess that people are willing to pay for?

• What job roles or career paths align with your strengths and interests while offering financial stability?

• What industries or fields are growing and in demand, and where could you apply your talents?

If you don’t have answers to all these questions, that’s fine! These questions are meant to inspire your thinking and help you look into areas where you can potentially find your ikigai.

And even if you do have all the answers, chances are your ikigai will change over time.

But as you progress in your academic—and eventually professional—careers, consider how these factors can intersect to help you live a happier and more fulfilling life.

What did you think about this newsletter? DM me on Instagram (@goharsguide) to let me know!

If you want study help, come join my Discord! We have a global community of students helping each other succeed in school. I’d love to see you there.

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