Ikigai: Our Best Ally in Climate Activism?

How to turn the Japanese concept of personal fulfillment into climate action

It’s no secret that the last three years have been the most transformative of my life. Ever since I can remember, and my mom claims since I was five, I’ve known that I wanted to dedicate my life to the biological and earth sciences, to fight to preserve our natural world.

For a longer time, I thought that I could only achieve this dream through an academic career, so I went on to get a bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD that aligned with my life purpose. Then, I started working for universities as an academic. I was doing science, which I loved. So everything was good, right?

But it wasn’t.

First of all, after my children were born, the academic lifestyle didn’t fit what my family needed. But there was something else: I didn’t feel like I was contributing to creating a better world by teaching and publishing in peer-reviewed journals.

Hence, I started a long and not always-easy journey outside of academia, a world that I had always called home, and into the unknown. What was I going to do?

Some of my peers recommended that I switch to data analysis. They paid well, and I was good at statistics and coding, so why not?

While it sounded appealing, there was a big problem: it didn’t align with my life purpose. Was there something else I could do?

I jumped heads first into the nonprofit sector and then into the public sector, working on environmental assessments. Later on, I started my own science communication side business. Once I took some time to look back, I realized that I’d never felt so fulfilled. It was as if I was finally doing something to help the world, and it felt amazing.

It was during this time of soul-searching that I discovered the book “Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and happy life,” by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles. All of a sudden, everything made sense…

What was happening to me?

Imagine waking up every day with a sense of purpose that drives your happiness and helps make the world a better place. Imagine that you wake up knowing that you’ll be doing something that you can, not only be paid for, but that you’re good at, that you love, and what the world needs.

That’s the idea behind ikigai, a Japanese concept that translates loosely to “reason for being.” At its heart, ikigai is about aligning personal passion, skills, and values with what the world needs. At its core, ikigai involves asking yourself four questions: What do you love? What are you good at? What does the world need? And what can you be paid for? The sweet spot where these answers intersect is your ikigai.

Since I started reading about the topic, I naturally found articles about people finding their own ikigai. To my surprise, they all had something in common. Since finding your ikigai requires aligning passion, mission, profession, and vocation, most were framing the “what the world needs” question through the lenses of environmental activism or stewardship.

Advance our understanding of climate change.

Protect the unique ecosystems that live in the forests in my state.

Ensure that everyone has access to clean water.

Provide people with clean sources of clean energy.

These were the types of answers most people who’ve found their ikigai gave to the question, “What does the world need?”

When I sat down to think about this, an idea popped up: could teaching people to explore their ikigai create a ripple effect, fostering a society of citizens motivated to contribute their unique talents to solving Earth’s problems?

While it’s often talked about as a key to personal fulfillment, ikigai could also be a powerful tool for addressing global challenges, particularly the environmental crises we’re facing today. Remember: something the world needs.

The environmental challenges of our time (climate change, water scarcity, and biodiversity loss) can feel overwhelming. But what if we reframe them as opportunities for all of us to find our purpose?

Finding your ikigai is a deeply personal journey that involves connecting to the world around us. Environmental crises, in particular, may provide a natural venue for this exploration because they highlight a clear and urgent answer to one of the things our world needs most right now.

Could I back this question up with science?

Well, research supports the idea that aligning personal purpose with societal needs can drive meaningful action. Many studies have shown that people who feel a sense of purpose are more likely to engage in sustainable behaviors, such as reducing waste, conserving energy, and supporting environmental initiatives.

For example, some studies found that those who believe their actions have broader significance are more inclined to adopt eco-friendly practices. They concluded that their sense of personal impact and social responsibility may motivate them to engage in a range of sustainable behaviors.

Similarly, a review published in Frontiers in Psychology shows how understanding what drives people (i.e. their values and beliefs) can help explain why those with a strong sense of purpose are better at sticking with efforts to tackle big environmental challenges.

It is no secret that environmental problems often feel distant or abstract, which makes them easy to ignore or leave to future generations to handle. But framing them through the lens of ikigai could bring these issues closer to home. That’s because when people see how their personal talents and interests can intersect with environmental needs, these challenges become more tangible and, importantly, more actionable. They believe there’s something meaningful they can actually do, and therefore, they do it.

For instance, research in the Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal (2020) highlights that this realization makes the challenges more tangible and empowers people to take actionable steps toward positive change.

Ikigai and Environmental Careers

Upon further inspection, I also noticed that quite relevant to this conversation, one of the most valuable aspects of ikigai is its emphasis on sustainability, not just in the environmental sense but also in terms of personal energy and commitment.

Environmental activism and careers in sustainability can be exhausting and sometimes discouraging. Therefore, burnout is a real risk for anyone tackling these enormous challenges. But when people focus on work that aligns with their passions, they’re more likely to sustain their efforts over time.

Luckily, though, the joy and fulfillment they find in their environmental and/or climate work become a source of resilience, helping them push through setbacks and frustrations. I know this feeling too well. This is the same fulfillment that helps me show up every day, even after experiencing multiple rejections in a particular week. Knowing that I’m working for something meaningful helps me stay focused on what the future may hold.

Indeed, this same report showed that those who derive personal satisfaction from their work in sustainability are more likely to remain engaged long-term, even when faced with setbacks.

We Still Need to Pay the Bills

I know what you’re thinking: This all sounds excellent, but at the end of the day, we all need to make a living.

Well, ikigai also addresses this practical reality. I know that financial stability often feels at odds with environmental action, but it doesn’t have to be. The growing green economy offers countless opportunities for people to align their careers with their ikigai, although I recognize that we may sometimes need to get creative with establishing these relationships. But let’s see some examples.

Renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, conservation, and eco-tourism can help people find meaningful work that supports their financial needs. We just need to train the brain to keep the concepts connected.

By teaching ikigai, we show people that they don’t have to choose between purpose and societal needs, they can have both. This is supported by many studies that highlight the economic viability of careers in sustainability and their potential to attract diverse talents when tied to meaningful goals.

Implementing Ikigai in our society

Needless to say, education is a natural starting point for introducing the concept of ikigai. Imagine a classroom where students are encouraged to reflect not only on their career aspirations but also on how those aspirations align with what the world needs.

While this would be a simple shift in perspective, it could fundamentally change the way young people approach their futures. Instead of asking, “What do I want to do when I grow up?” they might ask, “What can I do that I love, that I’m good at, and that helps solve the problems I care about?” I wished they had asked me this instead, and I know so many of my friends would have appreciated questions enquiring about their future framed this way.

This kind of thinking could do a lot more than create engaged citizens; it could create innovators, leaders, and changemakers. In fact, some research demonstrates that a purpose-driven education can develop future leaders who take action based on sustainability values. Further, some smaller studies demonstrate that experiential learning can foster engagement with sustainability when students engage in environmental activities.

Ultimately, the beauty of ikigai is that it’s not about grand gestures or extraordinary achievements; we would never feel fulfillment otherwise. Instead, it encourages finding your own small, meaningful way to contribute. A gardener who cultivates native plants to support local pollinators is living their ikigai just as much as a scientist developing new technologies to combat climate change. Both are essential. Both contribute to a better society. Both matter.

Remember the phrase, “think globally, act locally”?

The ripple effects of teaching ikigai could be transformative. A society where more people are aligned with their purpose is a society that’s better equipped to face challenges.

Purpose-driven people are more innovative, more collaborative, and more resilient. They bring hope and determination to even the toughest problems. They bring the purest form of energy. And in a world that often feels paralyzed by the scale of environmental crises, that hope is a powerful force. We need people who understand that you eat an elephant one bite at a time and that every bite matters. (NOTE: No elephant was harmed while writing this essay)

So, what could happen if we taught more people to find their ikigai? What if we encouraged everyone to ask not just what they want from life but also what they can give during their time on Earth?

Imagine a world where scientists, teachers, artists, and entrepreneurs wake up every day with a shared sense of purpose: to create a more sustainable future for our planet and its inhabitants. That’s the promise of ikigai, not just as a path to personal happiness but as a way to build a better world. In times like these, it’s exactly what we need. That’s exactly what *I* needed, perhaps you too.

So, have you thought about your ikigai? I can’t wait to read your thoughts!