So many people are uncertain of how to stay motivated during a PhD. A recommendation I hear all the time is to find a PhD project that your are passionate about. Now that's not bad advice but it could be better. According to X study, in order to stay motivated for work more than passion is required, in fact a sense of purpose is more likely to be a strong motivated. So how can we find such purpose? Ikigai is the intersection between the things we love, are skilled at, that are needed, and that earn us money. Simples.

• Love - it's no secret that doing things we love to do will lead to a sense of fulfilment, but it can often be overlooked over the next three elements of ikigai. But do be aware, doing something you love will not be enough to give you a lifelong sense of fulfilment and purpose without the other elements of ikigai. A lot of people I know do love their PhD topic, and a lot of people don't but they do love the research process. There are definitely times during a PhD where we don't love every moment but try to ensure you incorporate the parts that you love into your daily work.
• Skill - it's hard to maintain a sense of fulfilment doing something you're not very good at. Usually when filling out your statement of purpose for your PhD you will cite several reasons why you are the best person for the job, showcasing your skills. Of course during a PhD we definitely hit some roadblocks that make us feel pretty darn unskilled.
• Need - feeling needed leads a strong sense of fulfilment. This (along with earnings) it what separates our passions from our ikigai. With PhDs, it's unlikely you will get through the entry-process with an unneeded topic. However, it is possible that you don't care about that need enough to make it fulfilling to you.
• Earn - you might be willing to put money aside in pursuit of something fulfilling but however noble that might be, putting yourself into a situation where you are heavily in debt is unlikely to leave you feeling fulfilled for long.

Find your Ikigai. BODETREE, ADAPTED FROM FRANCESC MIRALLES https://www.forbes.com/sites/chrismyers/2018/02/23/how-to-find-your-ikigai-and-transform-your-outlook-on-life-and-business/

It's too late for me, I'm hopelessly unfulfilled!

So let's say you've already started your PhD and your topic is:

• not something you love: this one is the hardest to overcome. I think everyone has parts of their PhD that they don't enjoy but try to find (and focus on) the parts that you do like. Try to incorporate the parts of your PhD that you like and are skilled at to maintain your passion!
• not something you're skilled in: get skilled in it. There are so many free and cheap courses available online if you are open to improving yourself.
• not something that's earning enough: you can consider taking up a side hustle or going part-time to supplement your income. Is there any way that you can monetise your research? Can you take any extra teaching hours? Could you start sharing your journey on social media (WARNING: earning money takes time with this one)?
• not something the world needs: sometimes (particularly in highly theoretical fields) we can become detached from how our research will have an impact on the world around us. Try to investigate this and collect some real examples of ways that your research will have a positive impact that you truly care about.

If all else fails

So what if you don't have ikigai in your 9-5? With 8 hours of sleep that still leaves 8 hours in the day (5-9am and 5-9pm if you want to be a super early bird) that you can still experience ikagai. You can fill this time with what is missing from your 9-5 in terms of practicing things you love, are skilled at, are needed, or that earn you money.

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Find Your ikigai