Four questions to help find your life passion

I WAS in Penang earlier this week for a day of meetings with a couple of clients, and to spend some time with my folks. That evening, after a long and arduous day, I needed some quiet time and a nice meal on my own.

I found myself traipsing through Georgetown and driving past all my favourite haunts from when I lived and worked there.

As I went down Chulia Street, a famous thoroughfare in the city dotted with backpacker hostels, restaurants, bars, and hipster coffee places, I spotted the regular post-work wantan noodles stall that I used to go to.

It brought back such sentimental memories of when I first started teaching law at a small private college 25 years ago. I was the new kid in the department and got given all the late evening classes with continuing adults. I just recall it being a tough gig.

But, I also remembered that the reward came after classes ended at 10pm. On the nights when I worked late, this was the place where I stopped for dinner, before heading home.

I got to the roadside stall and to my amazement, it hadn’t changed hands. The same “uncle and aunty” who ran the stall all those years ago were right there, churning out what looked like spectacular bowls of noodles with wantan dumplings, sliced meat and all manner of condiments.

It took some time to find a place to sit but once I settled in, I got my noodles. The taste was just remarkable, and exactly as I remembered from so long ago.

After wolfing down a large bowl, I decided to have a quick chat with the couple.

They told me that they have been at the same spot for 33 years, with only a bi-weekly day off, I exchanged some pleasantries with them and tried to remind them that I was an ardent regular before.

They smiled politely and made small talk with me but with the sheer volume of business they have had, I doubt they recognised me. Moreover, in those days, I had hair.

As I left, I was quite taken by their commitment and passion to their modest and unassuming noodle stall. They both look sprightly, in high spirits, and obviously their commitment to quality has not decreased even a little bit.

What drives such passion in people?

I decided I would reflect on this further and do some research. As I looked through my notes and reviewed past columns, as well as thought about other people who I knew were like this lovely couple, I remembered the Japanese concept of “Ikigai”.

While there is no direct translation for this word, I remember reading that the concept of “a reason to live” or the idea of having a purpose in life is possibly the best interpretation of this word.

I then looked up descriptions that would easily explain the concept and found an image that features four overlapping circles, arranged in a formation like a complex Venn diagram that distils “Ikigai”.

The circles are arranged in a petal formation placed to the top, right, bottom and to the left.

These circles represent, respectively, “what you love”, “what the world needs”, “what you can be paid for”, and “what you are good at”. And, smack in the middle, where all four circles meet, is where you find your “Ikigai”.

This concept of “Ikigai” is perhaps what kept this committed couple passionately motivated to offer their delectable noodles for so many years.

Do they love what they do? Their commitment to excellence shows me that they love what they do. Surely, without love, they would not be able to constantly and consistently offer such incredible quality.

Are they making something that the world needs? Without a doubt, everyone loves a good hearty bowl of noodles, cooked with passion and with great ingredients. You could move them to London or Paris, and I can imagine there’ll be a long queue waiting to be served.

Can they be paid for what they offer? I had absolutely no problem forking out RM6 for a large bowl of their noodles, which had the full complement of add-ons. Often, I pay a lot more for an inferior version of the same in Kuala Lumpur.

And are they good at it? Their skills show through their longevity, the wait times, and the wonderful taste that they have been able to maintain over three decades.

Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Fellow and New York Times best-selling author of “Thrive. Finding Happiness the Blue Zones Way” says that passion comes alive at that intersection, where your values align with what you like to do, and what you are good at.

Ask yourself the four questions above, and the answers will tell you if you can find your passion, just like the lovely couple who sell wantan noodles on Chulia Street in Penang.

These circles represent, respectively, ‘what you love’, ‘what the world needs’, ‘what you can be paid for’, and ‘what you are good at’. And, smack in the middle, where all four circles meet, is where you find your ‘Ikigai’.

The writer is managing consultant and executive leadership coach at EQTD Consulting. He is also the author of the national bestseller ‘So, You Want To Get Promoted?’