The Overlap
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Dipo Ayoola
Design Engineer
Purpose: The reason why something exists. The reason why we do so many of the things we do. The invisible hand pushing us towards decisions we can’t always articulate, even if we tried.
Many people spend half their lives trying to identify their purpose. Some never do, even up to their dying breath. It’s an interesting topic because it raises questions. Why is it so important to find your purpose? Why should it be a source of worry? Why should you even give it any attention at all?
I’d like to think that, as human beings, we hold a certain responsibility. To our loved ones, but not limited to them. I know I do. We should aim to make life better for the next person, to make a positive impact in some way.
Not everyone feels they have found their life’s purpose, even by the end of their life. Some define it through their work — finding it satisfying. Others find purpose in the things they do for friends and family. It’s never one-size-fits-all. It’s always a case of “it depends”.
One concept that shaped how I think about purpose is Ikigai, a Japanese idea. It refers to having a sense of purpose — something that brings joy and meaning to your life. The approach involves identifying four things and looking for where they overlap, with the belief that your purpose lies in those intersections.
The first is the set of things you love — activities you could do for hours without realising the time has passed, things that make you feel energised and eagerly look forward to the next time.
The second is the set of things you are good at — your skills and talents, the areas where it feels as though you were born to do them. For some people, this is artistic like with music and drawing.
The third is the set of things the world needs — areas where your work or effort can bring value to society. Essentially helping to make the world a better place.
The fourth is the set of things you can be paid for — the skills and services that have market value. It’s a capitalist’s world and money is important.
Not everything you’re good at should be monetised, and that’s fine. But Ikigai recognises the reality that, in a capitalist world, being able to earn from what you do can make that purpose sustainable.
When these four sets are mapped in a Venn diagram, you see different intersections. The overlap between what you love and what you’re good at is where your passion lies. The overlap between what you’re good at and what you can be paid for is your profession. The overlap between what the world needs and what you can be paid for is your vocation. And the overlap between what you love and what the world needs is your mission.
In an ideal world, you’d find an overlap between all four — what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. That’s your Ikigai. Hold it tightly.
When you find yourself doing meaningful work that you’re good at, that the world values, and that you can earn from — and it doesn’t feel like work, almost like play — you’re there. You’ve found it.
Your purpose can take many forms. In pursuing your own, you might enable someone else to reach theirs. This is often how teams are formed. Purposes align under one umbrella: a shared mission. That mission becomes the glue that holds people together.
Each individual can exist independently, but when purposes align, they combine to form something greater than the sum of their parts. Think of a nuclear fusion reaction, where two or more atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus. In this context, it means two or more individuals, each with a clear purpose, come together to create something bigger. 1 + 1 doesn’t equal 2 — it equals 3, or more.
When people with aligned purposes work towards a shared mission, the results amplify. That’s how great teams are born. But there has to be a driving force — enough motivation and energy to bring them together. In the same way a chemical reaction needs enough kinetic energy to overcome barriers, collaboration needs enough shared drive to create lasting bonds.
