How to find the career change you need using Ikigai, the Japanese concept for the intersection between what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for.
I remember the moment I realized I needed something more. Nursing had been my identity for so long — so much so that I never questioned whether it was the right fit for me. I was good at my job. I had years of experience, a solid reputation, and a deep well of knowledge. But something was missing. I didn’t have the words for it at first, only a vague restlessness, a sense that I was going through the motions rather than actively shaping my future. Then, I came across the concept of Ikigai.
If you’ve never heard of it, Ikigai is a Japanese term that translates roughly to “reason for being.” It’s the intersection of four key elements:
- what you love
- what you’re good at
- what the world needs
- what you can be paid for
The idea is that when all four align, you find your true purpose. But if one or more are out of balance, that’s where dissatisfaction creeps in. Using Ikigai to pivot from nursing can be the key to building a career that truly fits.
Journaling Your Way to Clarity
If you’re feeling uncertain about what comes next, grab a journal and work through these four elements. Writing it down makes it real.
What do you love?
On the professional side, I love analyzing what’s going on and finding ways to fix it. That’s always been true for me, whether in patient care, teaching, or consulting. I like “checking the boxes,” but I need more than that. I want to understand why something is happening and improve it.
On the personal side, I love having a flexible schedule and little or no supervision. I thrive when I can make my own decisions and organize my time in a way that makes sense for me. That’s why traditional bedside nursing, with its rigid schedules, eventually felt limiting.
What about you? Think about the parts of your work that energize you. Do you love solving problems? Guiding others? Deep focus and independent work? Write it all down. Using Ikigai to pivot from nursing can help you align these preferences with a sustainable career path.
What are you good at?
As nurses, we develop so many skills over the years. But I encourage you to look beyond clinical skills. True, I’ve talked about transferable skills before. But this time, I’m asking you to dig a little deeper inside of yourself — you’re good at something because you can [fill in the blank]. Then write down what you’re good at.
When I did this, I realized I was good at:
- breaking down complex information and teaching it in a way that makes sense
- seeing patterns and identifying what’s the root of a problem
- writing and communicating in a way that makes people feel understood
- leading projects and keeping everything moving forward
- effective communication and collaboration to foster clear alignment
- time management and prioritization that ensure success without stumbling
- problem-solving and adaptability, even when I have only a small amount of information to guide my decision-making
What about you? Are you the person everyone turns to for guidance? Are you great at troubleshooting? Do you excel in organization or leadership? Write down your strengths. Using Ikigai to pivot from nursing can help you apply these skills in new ways.
What does the world need?
It’s easy to get stuck thinking only in terms of traditional nursing roles, but the world needs expertise in countless areas.
Healthcare organizations need educators. Businesses need consultants who understand healthcare systems. Patients need advocates. Entrepreneurs need guidance.
When I left traditional nursing, I saw a gap: professionals needed someone who could take complex concepts and distill them into something actionable. That’s where I fit in.
What about you? Maybe you’ve noticed how overwhelmed new nurses are and you feel drawn to mentorship. Maybe you’ve seen gaps in patient education or staff training. Where do you feel drawn? Using Ikigai to pivot from nursing can guide you toward meaningful work.
What can you be paid for?
This is often the hardest one to figure out because many of us were never taught how to think about earning outside of a paycheck.
But here’s the truth: every skill you listed under “what you’re good at” has a market. The question is, who pays for it, and what are they paying for?
I’ve been paid for:
- creating and teaching courses
- writing and editing books
- writing articles and top-of the funnel marketing content
- revising and repurposing patient education materials
- reviewing books for publishers specializing in multiple-choice exam content
- coaching and consulting on productivity and business growth
And who has paid me? Hospitals, universities, private businesses (including medical device companies), government organizations (including the U.S. Navy), and book publishers. I’ve also worked with professional organizations, including the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), as well as individuals seeking coaching and consulting. (And stay tuned, I have been invited as a guest on AWHONN’s podcast in a few months!)
Simon Sinek’s book Start with Why reinforced this concept for me. He explains how people and businesses thrive when they align their actions with a clear purpose. That was the missing piece for me — I had been working hard, but not necessarily in a way that fulfilled my why. Once I understood how my expertise fit into a larger need, I was able to position myself in a way that made sense professionally and financially. Using Ikigai to pivot from nursing helped me redefine my work with intention.
The “get paid” part is real. The opportunities exist — you just need to start looking at your skills through a different lens. Maybe there’s a business, a government agency, or a startup that needs what you offer. Write down the possibilities.
Your Ikigai is Waiting
If you take the time to sit with these four elements and journal through them, patterns will start to emerge. You’ll see where your natural interests, strengths, and opportunities align.
Leaving a traditional nursing role doesn’t mean you stop being a nurse. It means you’re expanding your impact. It means you’re designing a career that fits you, rather than forcing yourself into a mold that no longer serves you.
For me, embracing Ikigai gave me clarity and confidence. It reminded me that I wasn’t walking away from my skills — I was evolving them. And that has made all the difference.
If you’re feeling that pull for something more, trust that it’s worth exploring. Using Ikigai to pivot from nursing can help you take that next step with confidence.
Book a discovery call with me or DM me on LinkedIn today and let’s explore how you can transition from nursing with clarity and confidence.