Ikigai: The Reason for Being

My colleague Ketan Patel recently made a post about mission that resonated. At some point in your career, you may come to a crossroads and feel unfulfilled, but there's a concept I like to share with friends and colleagues.

It’s easy to get caught up chasing titles and salaries. And while those things can be rewarding, they don’t always bring the deeper sense of purpose or fulfillment we’re really looking for. Sometimes we end up in roles we’re "supposed" to want, but still feel disconnected from the work itself.

Over the years, I’ve held titles like Founder, CTO, and Chief Data Scientist. But the truth is, titles don’t define the real impact you make. What matters more is what you build, what you solve, and how you show up for others. Leadership isn’t something that comes from a title on a business card; real leadership is earned. It’s when people choose to follow you because they trust you, believe in you, and feel inspired by your example.

I’ve also never been motivated by the idea of accumulating massive wealth; I only want enough to take care of my family comfortably, and if there’s more, I’d prefer it's used to make the world better. We talk about ambitions like colonizing Mars, but before we look outward, shouldn’t we also be committed to taking better care of the planet we already live on? Clean air, clean water, healthy communities, and responsible infrastructure matter deeply, and they shape the quality of life for everyone.

The concept is called Ikigai (生き甲斐), or "Reason for Being". It’s often shown as a Venn diagram of four circles:

1. What you’re good at
2. What you can be paid to do
3. What you love
4. What the world needs

For me, that fourth circle: what the world needs, is what transforms work from a job into a calling. That’s where real meaning begins.

For the first 25 years of my career, I worked as a consultant in engineering and IT. It was solid work, and I was good at it. The pay was good. I worked with large and small private sector clients, state, local and federal governments, and pro bono nonprofit work. But a lot of that time was spent chasing contracts, and if I’m honest, not every project felt especially meaningful or fulfilling.

What I came to realize, especially on the larger projects, was that the work I found most rewarding was the work tied to a mission; work that was about helping people, solving important problems, and making the world a better place.

That realization is what ultimately led me to become a federal employee and work for the EPA. Yes, I made more in the private sector, but protecting human health and the environment is a mission that truly matters. It gave me that missing fourth circle: the sense of purpose that changes everything.

That’s the advice I give anyone thinking about their career: don’t just ask what pays well or what looks impressive. Ask where your strengths, your passions, your values, and the world’s needs come together. That’s where you’ll find the deepest fulfillment.