Why the Ikigai You Know Is Nonsense
And How to Create Your Own Instead
Let’s get one thing straight: most of the Ikigai diagrams floating around are nonsense. Neatly drawn Venn diagrams with circles labeled “what you love,” “what you’re good at,” “what the world needs,” and “what you can get paid for.” All very Instagrammable. All very false.
That version of Ikigai is corporate therapy wrapped in self-help wallpaper. It’s been twisted into a productivity tool. A career calculator. A formula for monetizing your joy. But Ikigai, the real kind, doesn’t care about your LinkedIn title. It doesn’t live on a PowerPoint slide. It lives in your gut, not your résumé.
My Ikigai isn’t a diagram. It’s a pulse.
It’s built on three wild, unruly forces: creativity, curiosity, and courage.
Creativity because I need to make things. I always have. Whether it’s a visual, an idea, a concept, a rebellion—if I’m not creating, I’m decaying.
Curiosity because I can’t sit still. I need to know what’s around the next corner. New tools, strange collaborations, crazy ideas. I’d rather fail exploring than succeed sleepwalking.
And courage—because let’s be honest—this path takes guts. You’ll be doubted, dismissed, misunderstood. You’ll hear: “Stick to your lane,” “That’s not scalable,” “Play it safe.” But safety is the slowest death of all.
Now, here’s the thing most people miss: when you build your Ikigai around these inner drivers, you don’t have to chase money. Money starts showing up. Not always fast, not always in the ways you expect—but consistently. Because people are drawn to fire. They hire energy. They remember boldness.
So toss out the template.
Burn the four-circle BS.
Ask yourself instead:
What sparks your brain on a slow Tuesday?
What could you do endlessly, even if no one paid you?
What scares you—but you’d do it anyway?
That’s your raw material. That’s your compass.
Not a perfect map. But a damn good direction.
Marc Posch
Visual creator. Firestarter. Still curious.
Ready to build a brand with a pulse? Let's talk. marcposchdesign.com