Better Lives | Better Careers: Rediscovering Your Why

Over the years, I’ve met many professionals who tell me they want a better career. A better title, a better salary, a better workplace, a better boss. But after countless conversations, one thing has become clear to me:

A better career doesn’t create a better life. A better life creates a better career.

We often get this the other way around — thinking success will fix everything. But real, long-term career growth starts from somewhere much deeper: who we are, why we wake up each day, and whether our life feels grounded, meaningful, and aligned.

When Life Feels Heavy, Work Feels Heavier

When our personal life feels chaotic, unclear, or unbalanced, that energy follows us into the workplace. You can change jobs, change industries, or even start a business… but if you don’t change yourself, you bring the same emotional and mental patterns with you.

The truth is simple: Clarity in life creates clarity in career. Stability in life creates stability in career. Purpose in life creates purpose in career.

This is why individuals who have reconnected with their deeper “why” often perform better, communicate better, lead better, and make better decisions.

The Importance of Rediscovering Your “Why”

There comes a point in every career where we pause and ask ourselves:

“What am I doing all this for?” “Why does this matter to me?”

This moment is not a breakdown — it’s an awakening. It is your inner compass reminding you that you’ve drifted too far from who you truly are.

Rediscovering your “why” doesn’t mean you resign tomorrow and move to a beach in Thailand. It simply means you reconnect with the original reasons that once made you come alive:

• The desire to grow

• The desire to contribute

• The desire to build something meaningful

• The desire to take care of your family

• The desire to live a life aligned with your values

When your “why” becomes clear again, your path forward becomes clearer too.

Ikigai: The Alignment We All Seek

The Japanese concept of Ikigai beautifully captures what many of us spend our whole lives searching for. It is the point where four areas overlap:

• What you love

• What you’re good at

• What the world needs

• What you can be paid for

Most people only focus on one or two of these. They work in jobs they’re good at, but they don’t love. Or they love something, but it doesn’t pay the bills. Or they want to help the world, but lack the skills.

Ikigai is when all these elements align — and work stops feeling like work. It becomes meaningful, energising, and sustainable.

This is why people who find their Ikigai rarely say “I’m burned out.” Even when the workload is heavy, the purpose carries them.

Better Lives Lead to Better Careers

When you take care of your own life — emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually — you bring a better version of yourself into your career.

You:

• Think more clearly

• Make better decisions

• Build healthier relationships

• Handle stress more effectively

• Feel more confident and grounded

• Lead and influence others more naturally

A better life doesn’t mean a perfect life. It simply means a life that is aligned, intentional, and deeply connected to your “why” and your Ikigai.

And when your life is aligned? Your career naturally rises to meet it.

A Thought to Leave With You

If your career feels stuck, lost, or directionless, maybe the answer isn’t “what job should I take next?”

Maybe the real question is:

“Who am I becoming — and why?” “What is my Ikigai?”

Because when you rediscover your purpose, your direction, and your inner balance… your career naturally transforms with you.