I would encourage anyone who is interested in this concept to do a little more reading on the concept. Ikigai is a lot more than just fulfillment with employment- which is closer to the concept known as hatarakigai. I appreciate you sharing this meme though- it was how I was first introduced to the concept.
No, I don't feel like my job is full filling. Would I switch though? No. Why?
The people I work with are awesome
The companies culture is overall great
I feel valued and supported
So why is the job not full filling? Because I dislike and borderline hate the industry we are in: Marketing/Ads. Probably only next to fossil fuels the reason why the world we live in today sucks.
Could I go elsewhere with my skillset? Certainly. But having had terrible employers with whos' products I could somewhat identify with before, I came to the conclusion that it's not necessarily most important what you do but with who.
I really appreciate this take. Sounds like you've found a good situation. I'm sure there's not really a perfect job so you'll always have to compromise on something.
EDIT: To give a vague privacy friendly answer as to what I do, it's a particular kind of IT, and it involves highly specialized purpose-built server clusters that spend most of their time on the backdeck of ships.
Yes! I work for a non-profit, providing a highly in-demand service to my community, for free or at a reduced cost. Nobody is getting rich doing what we do, but we are actively enriching and supporting our community. It is also a fantastic foot in the door for other forms of cooperation, community support, and mutual aid.
Not all non-profits are on the level, but no company with a profit motive will ever provide the kind of environment that a good non-profit can.
It is if you focus on the ultimate end state, which is a very serious net human good.
But jesus, the path to making that happen can grind you down. Canyon-like process gaps in some areas, poor integration of the different business lines, every area has been short-staffed since the pandemic with no end in sight, taking on more work without an appropriate allocation of resources, etc.
Have said "Fuck this, I quit" to myself more than once, only to come back because my memory of times where I was involved in something positively life changing for some random human in my country.
Fairly well paid (I can work parttime and still pay the bills).
I'm ridiculously self-disciplined and stress-resistant so I find it quite easy.
I get to see behind the curtain at a lot of restaurants.
I've built something of a local reputation and a circle of friends in the industry.
Being good at cooking, organising, and leading people is in itself very satisfying.
People find me more attractive because of it, haha.
I'm just sick of making money for other people and sort of sick of working evenings. Oh, and people are always asking me to cook for them. Otherwise, I'm fulfilled. It'll be time for me to look at setting up my own place soon enough.
Ish? I run machines at a steel tube/chromed bar processing plant in the Midwest which is kinda neat but also mind-numbing, but the money is really good for what I do. They just offered me an outside sales position over my whole state so... I like doing new things and my background is in food and bev so I'd much rather be dealing with people than pushing buttons on a CNC or hone all day plus for a pay increase and not being all gross and oily when I get off work? No-brainer
Yes! Self-employed, four-day work weeks, 4-6 hours a day. Enough money to be comfortable and to put some away for later. I have to clean the place by myself on that weekday off, but that's fine. Cathartic even.
I'm an ESL instructor in South Korea. My situation did not happen overnight. I'd worked in quite a few different private and public schools before this opportunity presented itself.
Thankfully, yes. I grew to hate my previous job because of shitty leadership. I was cut when there were two rounds of downsizing because I was the best-paid on my team. They did me a favor. I was only half-heartedly looking for a new job because doing so is challenging when your morale is blasted from working a shit job.
The new job is far higher stakes, but also far easier 95% of the time. I'm reading books during my downtime between putting out fires. I'm uniquely qualified for the role. I can also walk to work in ten minutes. And I absolutely love my boss. It'll be six months tomorrow. Wooooha!