MY COMPASS
RESEARCH & REFLECTION
A compass is used for navigation and orientation. In your career journey, a compass is vital so you never have to feel like you're lost. We have borrowed the Japanese concept of "Ikigai" to develop this tool. The ultimate goal is to align your unique needs with your community's needs, as indicated in the charts below.
"Ikigai" is a Japanese word whose meaning translates roughly to a reason for being, encompassing joy, a sense of purpose and meaning and a feeling of well-being. The word derives from iki, meaning life and kai, meaning the realisation of hopes and expectations.
What is ikigai?
01. In the chart below, we've changed the wording a bit to reflect the formula for career development, as opposed to general purpose in life. Check out the details for each circle (and follow the links) so you know what to look for when completing your weekly journals.
INTERESTS
STRENGTHS
VALUE
DEMAND
What kind of activities engage and energize you?
What are you good at based on actual evidence and feedback from others?
What does your community value related to your skills and interests?
What is your community willing to pay you for related to your skills and interests?
YOUR NEEDS
COMMUNITY NEEDS
02. As you go through your placements, make weekly reflections about your experiences in the text box below and highlight key words. Drag these words and place them in the corresponding circle on your compass. Collect as much data and do as much research as you need to fill out each circle adequately. Above all, look for trends and patterns to give you clarity.
03. At the end of your placement when you have collected enough data for your compass, focus on what you could write in the inner circle where all the circles meet. Limit this statement to 1-2 sentences. This will be your vision statement, which you will use in exercise 5, "My road".