As we gain more professional experience, some of us give up the desire to make a real difference in our work and in other people's lives.
This has never happened to Guy Kawasaki, who I spoke to on the Small Business Radio Show. He is the chief evangelist of Canva and the creator of Guy Kawasaki's Remarkable People podcast. He is an Executive Fellow of the Haas School of Business (UC Berkeley) and an Associate Professor at the University of New South Wales. He was Apple's chief evangelist and a trustee of the Wikimedia Foundation. His new book is called “Think Remarkable: 9 Paths to Transform Your Life and Make a Difference.”
Here's what we discussed:
Why the Japanese concept of Ikigai was an inspiration for this book on how to be remarkable. (Ikigai translates to “reason for being” and, in a perfect world, lies at the intersection of what you love, what you’re good at, and what you can get paid for.)
Why discovering your Ikigai is not a one-time event, but an ongoing journey of self-discovery and adaptation. Unfortunately, it's not a perfect world, so you may find yourself in a situation where doing what you love doing and are good at doesn't pay your bills.
If you feel compelled to continue doing something that you are not good at and cannot make money from, then you have truly discovered your ikigai and should be happy.
Why you need to lower your expectations and standards. Don't expect love at first sight, but rather the immediate discovery of your passion.
How to plant lots of seeds. It may take a lifetime to find your ikigai or for your ikigai to find you. So you should experiment with lots of different activities and side projects to find what suits your interests and skills.
Why nothing worth becoming your Ikigai will be easy and quick to master.
Why seek feedback and adapt? Use external feedback to refine your understanding of your Ikigai.
Assume that you cannot make money from your Ikigai. This means that you “keep your day job” and look for ways to generate income from it, such as freelance work or part-time jobs.
How to do the “shit sandwich” test. You'll know you've discovered your true calling when you enjoy the shit sandwiches that come with it.
Why Steve Jobs was an idiot, but he was an idiot with a mission!
Listen to my entire interview with Guy on the Small Business Radio Show.
Image: Guy Kawasaki