‘Allow your passion to become your purpose, and it will one day become your profession.’ – Gabrielle Bernstein.

It is now commonplace to point out that we are increasingly questioning our work life balance and reexamining our own sense of purpose and value. I have become fascinated by the changing nature of work and in particular, the way people have reframed their relationship with it.

This is of course, partly because of the pandemic but not completely. I believe that over the last few decades, as the world has turned faster and change and uncertainty have dominated more and more of our lives, we have become more reflective, more demanding and in some cases, more dissatisfied.

The promise of the ‘job for life’ dream has long since faded, as short term contracts, economic and environmental instability, technological innovation and global shifts continue to impact the way we live, work and interact.

There is a growing and at times acute war on talent as companies fight for and then work out how to retain the best. They are cognisant of the costs of on boarding and training new starters who may or may not last the course. Managers and leaders are frustrated by the increasing need to manage others, often to the detriment of their own work.

In our everyday life, we have constantly strived to find the perfect balance of happiness, purpose and success. While some might have easily found that balance, others are still working on it. On times when you have done some self-introspection have you ever wondered where your life is headed? What is your purpose in life?

What is the source of your happiness and contentment? Figuring out the right path towards your happiness and success can sometimes feel like solving a puzzle. But did you know that the Japanese have already figured out the formula to finding the right balance of purpose, happiness and success? This is where the Ikigai approach steps in.

Ikigai is a Japanese approach of finding the reason(s) to get out of bed every morning and do what you love and follow your passion. This technique has proved to be a huge success in the country of Japan and is enormously spreading to other countries as well.

According to a recent study, the most important thing for millennials, as well as baby boomers, is to follow their passion to achieve life goals. That gives them intrinsic motivation but then the question comes, what if the passion is unrealistic and not viable in the real world? The 21st century is highly competitive and fluid. Jobs and needs are evolving.

The trends come and go and they leave behind success or unsuccessful stories like the Dot-com bubble burst. This century is the century of innovations and adaptations. The innovative smart engineering solutions would require contributions from all the engineering domains. Industry 4.0 demands amalgamation of different domains to find empathetic solutions.

In such tumultuous times graduates needs to have roots and wings both. The roots in the form of core-skills and knowledge, and wings in the form of passion. The stereotyping of “following passion and hungry artists” is changing now. The job market needs competent and innovative employees in all sectors. At this point in time what you are taking from the world should be matched with what you are contributing.

The Japanese secret of Ikigai is balancing the trend and passion both. It is the intersection of what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. So balancing passion with required skills for employability will not only add to your life value but also meaning.

The dilemma of choosing between passion and choosing a stream that leads to a successful career is challenging task for most students. Most of the students often opt for the second option.

Many choose the management stream as it is a short course as compared to other professional courses and hence makes students jobready quickly. According to a survey, in India 65 per cent of students enrol in engineering and medical courses due to parental pressure.

The survey states that most of these students do not have a strong aptitude for subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Math and Biology which are the key subjects in engineering and medical studies. Peer inducement is the second most important factor.

The survey states that students often enrol in a course because their friends are doing it. Another important reason is the perception of a studied field in the job market. Most of the times students make a decision due to one of these factors. Deciding without intrinsic motivation and non-alignment with your passion ultimately leads to disenchantment, dissatisfaction, low productivity and an increase in stress and fatigue levels.

At times, this can even become a fatal choice. If we want to have a happy and productive workplace, we need to have happy employees. One of the ways to do this is by giving students the freedom to choose what they want to study and lead a career which they want to pursue.

Students can do this only by giving themselves the freedom to choose what they want to study and lead a career which they want to pursue. Students can do this by identifying their interests and skills.

But it has a rider. A chosen profession totally based on interest and passion many not be financially lucrative but if you are good in what you do, the sky can be the limit. At the end of the day, students need to be satisfied with their decision. They should know trends may come and go, placement statistics can change, and parents and friends will move on.

One thing which will remain constant is their decision; which can influence their professional life positively. This is why students should consider choosing a professional course based on their passion and interests alone. Think about your Ikigai, think about the meaning you want to have.

It’s utmost important to have a ‘goal’ in life and do what you love rather than doing what you are forced to do, because in the short term this might only hamper your mental wellbeing but in the long term it has serious repercussions like depressing and annoying effects and prolonged exposure to tension and depression can even lead to suicide and brain stroke

(The writer is with Eastern Institute for Integrated Learning in Management (EIILM) Kolkata)