Table of Contents
Ikigai Test
Have you ever questioned, “What is the true cause of my life?” The Ikigai Test is designed to reply to this timeless query. Rooted in Japanese philosophy, Ikigai unites what you adore, what you’re suitable at, what the sector desires, and what you can be paid for into a deeper sense of purpose.
Thousands around the world now use Ikigai frameworks for non-public boom, resilience, professional readability, and even improved fitness. Like the Japanese artwork of kintsugi, in which broken pottery is repaired with gold, Ikigai indicates that life’s cracks can grow to be sources of beauty and that means.
Life purpose test
- Joy: What activities make you lose track of time because you enjoy them so much?
- Energy: What gives you energy instead of draining it?
- Values: What do you deeply care about improving in the world?
- Talents: What are you naturally good at (skills people often compliment you on)?
- Impact: Who do you want to help the most, and why?
- Fulfillment: When have you felt the most proud of yourself?
- Curiosity: What topics do you never get tired of learning about?
- Dream Life: If money wasn’t an issue, what would you do every day?
- Legacy: When you imagine your 80th birthday, what do you want people to thank you for?
- Alignment: Are your current actions taking you closer to this vision if not, what would you change?
Ikigai Quiz
Ikigai is the purpose of your life where passion, talent, missions and profession are found.
Ask yourself:
1. What do I like to do the most?
2. What am I naturally good?
3. What does the world want that provokes me?
4. For whom can I be paid for?
Write 3 answers for each question. Look for general subjects – they reveal your ikigai.
Example: If you love writing, you are good in storytelling, want to inspire others, and earn from the formation of material, you can write to inspire your Ikigai.
Reflect, refine, and choose a path that aligns everyone.

Ikigai meaning
Ikigai combines the words “iki” (life) and “gai” (really worth). For centuries, the Japanese tradition has emphasized small happiness, workouts and fuel happiness.
Scholars like Ken Mogi described Ikigai as a mixture of day behavior, network and day by a mixture. Authors like Yukri Mitsuhashi show how minor curiosity and happiness can also become a part of Ikigai
Find Your Ikigai
Discovering Ikigai helps you:
- Get clarity on passion and strength
- Make flexibility in challenging times
- Promote positive emotions towards life
- Align values with career and lifestyle
- Improve the work life balance
Research from Derby University connects Ikigai to high life satisfaction and low depression risk.
How the Ikigai Test Works
The Ikigai Test makes use of guided self-mirrored images through questionnaires, worksheets, or education. It encourages you to become aware of intersections among your values and strengths.
For example, someone who loves teaching, excels in conversation, notices the worldwide want for schooling, and might earn from education may find their Ikigai in mentoring.
Tools & Scales
Ikigai-9 – A 9-item confirmed scale measuring cause, optimism, and achievement. Sample statements encompass:
- “I sense my existence is mentally wealthy and fulfilled.”
- “I consider my existence is needed by using someone.”
Dispositional Flow Scale-2 (DFS-2) Measures “flow,” or being absolutely absorbed in significant pastime. Covers nine dimensions together with concentration, time transformation, and project–ability stability.
Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) A broadly used tool for measuring worldwide existence delight.
Worksheets & Exercises
Many platforms offer printable sporting activities asking reflective prompts like:
“What did you enjoy as a child?”
“If money didn’t count, what might you do?”
“I completely lost track of time when…”
The Science Behind Ikigai
Ikigai is supported via tremendous psychology, wellness, and preventative medicine research. Scholars consisting of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (glide principle) and Ed Diener (existence pride) display that purpose improves:
- Psychological richness.
- Physical health
- long-term wellbeing

Benefits of Taking the Ikigai Test
- Mental Health .
- Increases optimism.
- Reduces risk of depression.
- Encourages mindfulness .
- Physical Health .
- Linked with better heart health.
- Decrease risk of strokes (Mori et al., 2017)
- Supports healthy aging .
- Motivation.
- social working.
- Improves concentration .
- Boosts career satisfaction.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Take the Ikigai Test
1. Reflect on what you love.
2. List your strengths.
3. Identify what the world needs.
4. Explore how you can earn from it.
5. Use validated tools (Ikigai-9, DFS-2, SWLS).
6. Revisiting and refining Ikigai evolves as life changes.
Common Challenges
- Overwhelmed by many options
- Conflict between values and career
- Fear of change
Ikigai’s misunderstanding about what really means
Tip: Think of Ikigai where you can have cracks in your life like kintsugi, but they can be converted into beauty.
Real Life Stories & Research
- Dean Fido and Yasuhiro Kotera validated Ikigai-9 for the Western audiences.
- Ken Mogi describes Ikigai as a “secret Japanese way to live long”.
- Hector Garcia and Francesk Miralase made it popular globally in Ikigai: Japanese secrets for a long and happy life.
Their joint work shows that short daily actions and reflections make long term fulfillmen
Daily habits to align with your ikigai
Searching for your Ikigai is just the first step living it every day where changes. Here are 10 simple habits inspired by Japanese longevity principles that help you align with your purpose and survive for a long time:
- Stay active and do not retire.
- Leave urgency at the back of and undertake a slower pace of existence.
- Only eat till you are 80% full.
- Surround yourself with precise friends.
- Get in shape via every day, gentle workout.
- Smile extra and well known humans around you.
- Reconnect with nature.
- Give way to the whole thing that brightens your day and makes you experience alive.
- Live within the moment.
- Follow your passion.
Final Thoughts: Aligning Life With Your Ikigai
The Ikigai Test is more than a questionnaire, it’s a life compass. By combining passion, mission, vocation, and profession, it helps you create balance, joy, and resilience.
Like kintsugi, Ikigai teaches that life’s cracks can shine like gold when filled with purpose. Whether you’re seeking career clarity, better health, or inner peace, the Ikigai Test offers a proven, evidence-based path toward a longer, happier, and more fulfilled life.
FAQs on the Ikigai Test
Is the Ikigai Test scientific?
Yes, Tools like Ikigai-9 and SWLS are validated by researchers.
Can teens take the Ikigai Test?
Absolutely, It’s simple enough for an eighth grader.
Does it guarantee happiness?
Not instantly but it provides a pathway to meaningful living.
How often should I revisit my Ikigai?
Every 6–12 months, or when major life changes occur.
Where can I take it?
Trusted sources include PositivePsychology.com, Ikigai Tribe, and People at Heart Coaching.

