Ikigai as a coaching model: 5 steps to greater satisfaction

As a coach you are constantly looking for methods to coachees to inspire and guide them in their development. A powerful and innovative coaching model that is gaining more and more attention is Ikigai.

What is Ikigai?

Ikigai is a Japanese concept that stands for the reason for your existence. It comes from Okinawa, an island of Japan, where the inhabitants have a higher life expectancy than inhabitants of other parts of the world. Ikigai gives you the opportunity to discover what you get up for every morning (your mission), which makes your heart beat faster (your passion) and what you are really good at (your talents).

But how do you apply this in your coaching practice? Coaching means that you help people not only to solve their problems, but also to discover and use their mission, profession and calling. The Ikigai model offers a structured approach for this that motivates your coachees to go deeply reflect on their values, skills and passions.

It encourages them to find innovative solutions to the obstacles that hold them back in their growth. In addition, Ikigai responds to the need for meaning in work and life. More and more people are looking for a balance between what they like to do, what they are good at and how they can make an impact in the world. 

In this blog we dive deeper into the principles and meaning of Ikigai, how you can apply it in your practice and why it is a powerful tool for growth and personal development. Discover how you as a coach can use this method to strengthen your skills and guide and lead your coachees to a healthy life and a better future.

What does Ikigai coaching mean?

The Ikigai model is based on the Japanese concept of 'Ikigai'. Ikigai means 'reason for being'. The Ikigai model is a diagram of four overlapping circles and focuses on the intersection of four fundamental questions. Here are some focused questions your coachee can answer to further explore the four fundamental questions:

What do you like?

• What activities give you energy, even when you're tired?
• What do you talk about with passion and interest?
• What job would you have if money was no object?
• What hobbies or interests have you always had?

What are you good at?

• Which talents come naturally to you?
• What do others say you are good at?
• Where have you already achieved big or small successes?
• What natural talents would you like to develop further?

What does the world need?

• Which problems in society affect you the most?
• How can you help others with your talents and skills?
• What positive change would you like to see in the world?
• What needs do you see in your immediate environment or industry?

What do you get paid for?

• What skills or services can you offer that would be valuable to others?
• Which professions or markets match your ambitions and talents?
• How can you combine your passion and talents with your profession?
• Are there people who are already getting paid for what you love to do? What can you learn from that?

Intrinsic motivation

By answering these four questions, coachees gain insight into their intrinsic motivation and can choose a path that matches their passion and skills.

Passion occurs where what you like to do overlaps with what you are good at.

Mission find yourself at the intersection of what you love to do and what the world needs.

Occupation is where your talents and the opportunity to get paid for them come together.

Calling is created at the intersection of what the world needs and what you can get paid for.
Where the circles overlap, you can find your personal Ikigai. With Ikigai you can inspire but also effectively guide personal and professional growth.

Reflective exercises and coaching techniques

Coaching uses reflective exercises, brainstorming sessions and strategic planning to help the coachee gain a clear picture of their own Ikigai. The process stimulates innovation and helps people take focused actions that contribute to their development.

In addition, the Ikigai model helps develop resilience and motivation. When coachees find their Ikigai, they are better able to overcome obstacles and pursue their goals with full energy. This makes it a powerful coaching model for both individuals and organizations that are looking for growth and meaning. The Ikigai model can therefore help you to act mindfully and focus on the long term. Mindful acting can give a sense of peace and calm.

Obstacles to Finding Your Ikigai

Sometimes coachees experience obstacles in finding their Ikigai. Common challenges are:

• Limiting beliefs: Doubt about one's own abilities or fear of change.
• Lack of direction: Difficulty identifying passions and talents.
• External pressure: Expectations from family, society or financial obligations.

As a coach you can help overcome these obstacles through questions, exercises and mindset changes.

Discovering Ikigai with coaching

Through structured guidance, a coach helps you to reflect deeply and take targeted steps towards change for a meaningful and professional life.

In addition, a coach supports you in overcoming obstacles and barriers that hinder your growth.

A handy way to get started with this is to use an Ikigai template. Download an Ikigai template and have your coachee fill it in with their own answers to the questions. This helps coachees to fill in their answers to the four core questions in a structured way and to get a clear picture of their Ikigai.

Applying the Ikigai model in practice

There are many examples of people who put their Ikigai into practice every day.

An example is a coach who found his Ikigai by combining his passion for personal development and technology. He noticed that many coaches were struggling to manage their coaching processes and decided to develop a software solution to streamline this. Through his skills in software development and his insight into the needs of coaches, he created a platform that brings all coaching activities together in one place. This innovation helps coaches work more efficiently. In this way, he lives his Ikigai by using his passions and talents to make a valuable contribution to the coaching world.

Implementing the Ikigai model in your practice starts with asking the right questions. Use methods such as visualization exercises, journaling and structured conversations to help coachees discover their own meaning of Ikigai. This can be done in one-on-one sessions as well as in group coaching be effective.

In addition, as a coach you can add innovative techniques to your approach, such as design thinking and agile coaching, to increase the impact. This combination creates new insights and strategies that help coachees to realize their life goal in an inspiring way.

An effective way to implement the Ikigai model is by using a step-by-step plan. This step-by-step plan helps the coachee to gain insight into their passion, mission and profession:

Self-reflection

Have the coachee think about what gives them energy and where their passion lies. In this first phase, you invite the coachee to think deeply about what intrinsically motivates them.

Analysis of skills

Investigate where the coachee excels and map out what the coachee's talents and strengths are, as well as areas where there is still room for growth. This step is about exploring what the coachee is good at. Together you investigate the unique qualities and competencies that are already present, but also the areas where there is room for growth.

Identification of social needs

Help the coachee to discover how to be part of the world and how they can have a positive influence on it. This step shifts the focus from the personal to the social. It is about investigating which problems or challenges in society affect the coachee and how they can contribute to this.

Creating an action plan

Set concrete goals and strategies to actually walk your Ikigai path.

By carefully following these steps, you ensure that the coachee not only gains insight into their Ikigai, but is also actually able to act accordingly.

Why is the Ikigai model inspiring?

Inspirational coaching means helping people to get the best out of themselves and motivating them to look at their daily life and career in an innovative way. Ikigai helps by promoting a deep self-discovery and creating a lasting sense of fulfillment.

By using the coaching model, you stimulate your coachees to step outside their comfort zone and explore new possibilities. This contributes to their development and helps them to make innovative choices. In addition, the model strengthens their self-confidence, because they take concrete steps towards a more meaningful life and happy life at work.

Furthermore, it can be applied in different contexts. Whether you are working with young professionals who want to map out their career path, entrepreneurs who want to build a passion-driven business, or people who are entering a new phase in life: the model offers a clear structure to find direction and motivation.

Another powerful aspect of the Ikigai model is that it helps reduce stress and burnout. When people work from their intrinsic motivation and do what they really find important, they experience less pressure and more satisfaction in their daily activities.

Castle

Ikigai is a powerful and inspiring coaching model that helps develop your coachees. Through reflection and strategic guidance, they discover their true passion and how they can turn it into their profession. This model stimulates innovation and ensures that people do not just find a profession, but a profession and calling that gives them fulfillment.

Do you want to enrich your approach as a coach and be an inspiring guide for your coachees? Then this coaching model is a valuable addition to your practice. Start applying this model today and help your clients grow towards a meaningful and happy life.

What can Trackler do for you in this?

This is where Trackler your digital partner. We have a Ikigai template created for you to use for free (if you have a Trackler account), allowing you to put your coachees to work right away. Start with Trackler and let your coachees discover their Ikigai.