One of the biggest misconceptions about finding your ikigai, your reason for being, is that it's a one-time discovery. You find it, and you're done. Life solved.
I was recently talking with a group of friends about my new venture to create this blog series. They asked me about Ikigai, and as I was explaining it, I realized that one of the reasons it's so difficult for some people to find their Ikigai is that the target keeps changing.
With so many factors intertwined and interwoven into creating our own individual Ikigai, it becomes like a fingerprint. But not just a regular fingerprint. One which morphs, curves and undulates this way and that like a mirage, as new things come into our lives, and out, into our focus, and out.
When I talk about finding my Ikigai, I see a bit of awe in my friends' eyes. They want it to be a destination. A bullseye. Hit it once and you're done.
I have to remind myself that as other things in my life change, so will my Ikigai. It is a moving, evolving target. And the key to that evolution? Continuous learning.
The Learning Mindset That Keeps You Growing
When I left my career as an Allergist/Immunologist to pursue medical education full-time (I still practice part-time), I had to become a student again. Not just of pedagogy and curriculum design, but of myself.
What excited me now? What problems did I want to solve? Where could I make the biggest impact? What could I revise and make better?
The willingness to learn, to admit you don't know something and dive in anyway, is what gives you permission to change course when your current path no longer serves you.
The version of you who chose your original path may not be the same person you are today. That's not just okay. That's personal growth.
AI, Education, and Unexpected Connections
Recently, I've been deep in the world of AI tools for medical education. It started as a way to help my students learn more effectively, but it's become something much bigger. I'm researching how medical students can use tools like NotebookLM to transform their study habits, improve retention, and actually understand complex material instead of just memorizing it.
Out of that work, I built ReasonDx, a clinical reasoning platform designed to teach physicians how to think, not just what to recall.
But here's what surprised me about the underlying study strategies: this isn't just for medical students.
The strategies I'm developing, the frameworks for asking better questions, organizing information, personalizing learning paths, work for anyone trying to master difficult material. Whether you're in healthcare, tech, education, law, or making a career transition and learning an entirely new field, these approaches can change how you learn.
Learning Is Universal
If you're studying or learning anything complex, the same set of skills applies:
- Synthesizing large amounts of information
- Making connections between complex concepts
- Preparing for high-stakes exams or projects
- Developing deeper understanding, not just surface knowledge
- Finding study methods that actually work for your learning style
Whether you're sitting for boards, learning a new role, or rebuilding your skill set after a pivot, the work is the same: learn how to learn.
The Permission You Need
Here's what continuous learning really gives you: permission to be a beginner again. Permission to try something new. Permission to admit your career or path isn't working and choose differently.
Every time you learn something new, you're proving to yourself that change is possible. You're building evidence (most importantly for yourself) that you can adapt, grow, and thrive in unfamiliar territory.
curiosity is permission in disguiseSo whether you're exploring AI tools to improve your learning, considering a career shift, or simply trying to stay engaged with your current work in new ways, give yourself permission to be curious. To not have all the answers. To experiment.
That's where real change begins.
If you're at an inflection point and trying to figure out what's next, learning what energizes you again can be the first step. Coaching is one way to do that work with someone in your corner. Book a free discovery call if you want to talk it through.
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