Everyone Gets the Venn Diagram Wrong!
In TWO different ways - itโs NOT ikigai and it IS mathematically impossible with 4 circles
๐ธ ikigai ็ใ็ฒๆ is a reason for being, your purpose in life - from the Japanese iki ็ใ meaning life and gai ็ฒๆ meaning worth ๐ธ
I was *gutted* to learn the diagram we all love to share, the one supposedly showing the Japanese concept of ikigai isn't really about ikigai at all.
I hate getting things wrong and beat myself up when I do, a LOT. Iโd gone and started a frakking substack with that word in the title, and now I just looked like a knob.
The four-circle Venn diagram with its intersections of; what you LOVE, what you're GOOD AT, what the WORLD NEEDS and what you can be PAID FOR was supposed to be the secret to unlocking ikigai, your reason for being or purpose in life.
Except it's not. The term ikigai has been co-opted and misunderstood, leaving us with a Westernised version of an idea that doesn't reflect its origin.
For many years I drew it in bullet journals but never actually did the work to explore what it meant for me. It just sat there looking pretty, another unfinished self-improvement exercise.
Towards the end of 2023 I was in a bad place. Feeling lost and needing more than just pretty diagrams, I needed real help. So I finally dug into research about ikigai, discovering that the popular Western framework isn't it at all.
Luckily I fell more in love with the real concept of ikigai the more I learned, and I wrote to understand.
However I did ALSO keep coming back to the Purpose Venn diagram, because letโs face it most of us spend heaps of time at work and/or trying to earn money, and getting that right would probably solve most (all?!) of our problems in life.
So relearning ikigai was humbling enough, but as I started mapping out the Purpose Venn circles properly, trying to make *that* concept actually work for me, I noticed something elseโฆ
The mathematics of the diagram are wrong!
Isn't this a lesson for life? We need to be more critical and thoughtful with the ideas and concepts we adopt and share.
Mind you, even if the diagram isn't ikigai it's still a bloody brilliant idea if corrected.
Everyone draws it wrong
Mapping out the A, B, C and D of the diagram myself is what made me realise that there shouldnโt be just four intersections, there are actually SIX two-set intersections as well as four three-set intersections, surely missing these means missing out on the full richness of a potential framework?
This was a reminder and a valuable lesson for me to engage brain fully before sharing something, I hadnโt taken the time to understand it properly for myself to critically analyse if it were accurate.
Let's fix that, shall we?
I realised itโs impossible with 4 circles to show all the overlaps, but it IS possible to map the intersections if you use either rectangles or ellipses;
I gave the sections a letter each and then plotted the 4 we are used to seeing;
A+B; What You Love + What You're Good At = PASSION, the joy of doing something you're skilled at and adore.
A+D; What You Love + What the World Needs = MISSION, doing something greater than yourself.
B+C; What You're Good At + What You Can Be Paid For = PROFESSION, a career sweet spot.
C+D; What You Can Be Paid For + What the World Needs = VOCATION, a calling that fulfils both personal and societal needs.
This then allowed me to consider the missing two, and brainstorming words that fitted and also ended in โIONโ this is what I came up with;
A+C; What You Love + What You Can Be Paid For = DEVOTION, being rewarded for your passion
B+D; What You're Good At + What the World Needs = CONTRIBUTION, where your skills meet societal needs, creating impact.
These six intersections are the minimum level that should be achievable for any us. If we canโt pick one or more that resonate, does that mean we are getting paid to do something we dislike, aren't particularly good at doing and that isnโt of use to the world?
The 4 three-set intersections
We can then move on to the deeper overlaps where three sets meet;
A + B + C; What You Love + What You're Good At + What You Can Be Paid For = Inspiration - The driving force of creativity, blending passion, skill, and reward.
A + B + D; What You Love + What You're Good At + What the World Needs = Elevation - The pursuit of something meaningful that uplifts both you and the world.
A + C + D; What You Love + What You Can Be Paid For + What the World Needs = Dedication - commitment to a path that balances passion, practicality, and purpose.
B + C + D; What You're Good At + What You Can Be Paid For + What the World Needs = Foundation - The sturdy base for a fulfilling life, where talent, income, and service align.
Can we use these new labels to help us with actionable insights into our potential?
The diagram is awesome, letโs use it!
So, if this isn't ikigai, why am I still so bothered by it? Because buried beneath the misattribution and mathematical oversimplification lies a brilliant framework for understanding our relationship with work. Most of us spend the majority of our waking hours either working or thinking about work, so getting this right matters.
When you map out all ten intersections (not just the famous four), patterns emerge that can help you navigate career decisions, side hustles and life transitions. It helps you to think critically about how your passions, skills, income potential and the world's needs intersect, a helpful framing device.
It doesn't have to be complicated or even just one perfect sweet spot, but it does require attention to detail. Once you understand it fully, you can adapt it to your own journey.
Start with honest self-assessment
Before we get to intersections, spend time with each aspect, especially in journaling prompts;
A. What You Love
What activities make you lose track of time?
What topics do you read about voluntarily?
B. What You're Good At
What skills come naturally to you?
What do others often ask for your help with?
C. What You Can Be Paid For
What problems do people willingly pay to solve?
What unique combination of abilities sets you apart?
D. What the World Needs
What problems do you see that need solving?
What changes would you like to see in the world?
Map your current reality
Now plot where you are today. Which intersections are you operating in? Perhaps you're in a PROFESSION (B+C) that pays well and uses your skills but doesn't fulfill your passion. Or maybe you've found your MISSION (A+D) through volunteer work but haven't figured out how to make it financially sustainable.
Understanding your current position helps identify what's working well and whatโs missing.
Design your next move
Use the three-set intersections as potential targets;
Need more creativity in your work? Aim for INSPIRATION (A+B+C)
Want to make a bigger impact? Focus on ELEVATION (A+B+D)
Looking for sustainable purpose? Build towards DEDICATION (A+C+D)
Seeking stable meaningful work? Develop your FOUNDATION (B+C+D)
The beauty of having ten distinct intersections is that it gives you multiple pathways to explore. You're not failing if you haven't found the perfect centre, you're evolving through different valuable combinations. You can perhaps make relatively small changes where you are to nudge you closer to your ideal.
Critical thinking in an AI age
With memes, viral infographics and AI-generated content, we need critical thinking more than ever. It's easy to share what looks good, what feels right at first glance. I did exactly that with this diagram for years.
Real insight comes from digging deeper, from questioning our assumptions and doing the maths (literally, in this case). No matter how much of a trending concept we still need to engage our minds fully.
The Purpose Venn diagram, despite its flaws, was still a powerful tool for self-discovery and career navigation.
Now itโs the WORK WORTH DOING VENN DIAGRAM as we've fixed the mathematics, how *shiny* is that?! It's up to us to use it thoughtfully, remembering that frameworks are meant to guide us onto better things, not box us in.
As we navigate an increasingly complex world of work (and life), let this be a reminder. Question everything, verify what you can, and don't be afraid to rebuild something better when you find flaws in conventional wisdom.
A well-examined life, like a well-drawn diagram, reveals possibilities we might otherwise miss.
Sarah, seeking ikigai xxx
PS - When I get time I want to redo this template with rectangles instead (like the static example I found below), because it looks like a LOVE HEART and if that wasnโt meant to be then I donโt know what is *grin*