I Hit Every KPI. But My Ikigai Was Broken. 💔

Hey Leaders, Founders, and fellow travelers on this path,

I want to tell you a story. It’s my story, but I have a feeling parts of it might sound familiar to you.

For 15 years, I was a star performer. Annual reviews: Outstanding. Team metrics: Exceeded. Promotions: Ahead of schedule. I was the person you could count on to get the job done, to hit the number, to win. On every spreadsheet, in every boardroom, I was the picture of success.

Inner fulfillment: Zero.

I was running on a high-performance treadmill, racking up miles but going nowhere that mattered to my soul. I had mastered the what and the how of my career, but I had completely lost touch with the why. Each success felt hollow, each achievement a ghost. I was living a paradox: my professional life was thriving, but my personal sense of purpose was bankrupt.

The Moment the Mask Cracked 🤯

The breaking point didn't come in a moment of dramatic failure. It came, ironically, in a moment of peak success.

I remember standing in the corner of a catered party celebrating a huge project my team had just landed. People were shaking my hand, my boss was singing my praises, and the champagne was flowing. I should have been ecstatic. Instead, I felt… nothing. A profound and terrifying emptiness. I felt like an actor playing the role of a "successful leader," watching a movie about someone else's life.

That night, driving home from a party meant to honor me, I had to be honest with myself for the first time in a long time. The external validation was a roaring fire, but inside, I was cold. I had hit every target, but I had missed the point entirely.

Discovering the Blueprint: What is Ikigai? 🌸

In that period of quiet desperation, I started searching. Not for a new job, but for a new way of seeing. That’s when I stumbled across the Japanese concept of Ikigai (pronounced ee-key-guy), which roughly translates to "a reason for being."

It’s not some mystical, unattainable concept. It’s a beautifully practical framework for alignment. Picture four overlapping circles:

• ❤️ What you LOVE: The work that gives you joy and energy.
• 💪 What you are GOOD AT: Your unique talents and skills.
• 🌍 What the WORLD NEEDS: The impact or service you provide.
• 💰 What you can be PAID FOR: The economic engine for your life.

The place where all four circles intersect? That’s your Ikigai. That’s the sweet spot of deep fulfillment.

When I drew those four circles and mapped my life against them, the problem became painfully clear. I was acing "What I'm good at" and "What I can be paid for." You could even argue I was fulfilling a need in the corporate world.

But the first circle—"What you LOVE"—was almost completely empty. The kindness, the empathy, the deep human connection I valued most were being suffocated by my relentless pursuit of metrics. My Ikigai was broken because the most important part was missing.

The Fix: How Self-Aware Leadership Became My Ikigai

I didn't quit my job. I started an "inside-out" renovation project on my leadership. The answer wasn't a new career; it was a new way of being in the career I already had. The answer was self-awareness.

1. The "What I Love" Audit: I stopped asking, "What's the next goal?" and started asking, "What part of my day doesn't feel like work?" I realized it wasn't closing deals or optimizing spreadsheets that lit me up. It was mentoring a junior team member. It was the "aha!" moment in a brainstorming session. It was seeing someone on my team achieve something they never thought possible. What I loved was helping people grow.

2. The Leadership Shift: This realization changed everything. I decided to make my leadership style the primary expression of my values.

• My 1-on-1s shifted from being status updates to being genuine check-ins on their growth and well-being (empathy).
• I started openly admitting when I didn't have the answer, inviting my team to find it with me (humility).
• I began giving direct but compassionate feedback, aimed at building people up, not tearing them down (kindness & honesty).
• I started defending my team and our values, even when it was difficult (courage).

My job title didn't change. But my job did. I was no longer just a manager of outcomes; I became a coach of human potential. And for the first time, I felt whole. I had found my Ikigai not by changing my job, but by changing me. This journey led me to the wisdom of Albert Schweitzer:

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful."

Your Turn: Map Your Own Ikigai 🗺️

I invite you to do the same courageous self-reflection that changed my life. Grab a pen and paper.

What would happen if you mapped your current role against these four questions?

1. What you LOVE: What specific tasks or interactions in your day give you a genuine sense of energy and joy?
2. What you are GOOD AT: What are the skills that you know, without a doubt, you excel at?
3. What the WORLD NEEDS: What real human or customer problem does your work solve? What is its positive impact?
4. What you are PAID FOR: Does your role provide for you and your family?

Where are your circles full? And where—if you're being truly honest—is there a gap?

You don't have to quit your job to find your Ikigai. The journey often starts with the self-awareness to simply ask the right questions, and the courage to bring more of what you love into the work you already do. It begins by leading from the inside out.

What's one thing you do at work that truly makes you feel alive? I'd be honored to hear about it in the comments. 👇

#TransformativeLeadership #SelfAwareness #Ikigai #Purpose #Leadership #LeadBetter #CEO #Founder #Burnout #Fulfillment