The Ikigai+ is a purpose-based academic advising model; which is guided by an Ikigai coach to empower 21st Century students to find, explore and engage the fundamental issues and questions that “keep them up at night.” This process guides the students through a journey to tackle those questions by developing an individual purpose to effect/change the greater society—through or based on their degree of study.

1. IKIGAI+ Advising Model
USER EXPERIENCE JOURNEY

2. STEP 1:
At the start of her college
experience, Alex meets her
Ikigai coach, who is a faculty
or staff member who will work
with her throughout her entire
academic journey.
YEAR 1

3. STEP 2:
The Ikigai coach asks Alex the
following questions to begin
the process:
A: What do you love?
B: What does the world need?
C: What can you be paid for?
D: What are you good at?
That which
you love.
That which
you are good at.
That which
the world needs.
That which
you can be paid for.
YEAR 1

4. STEP 3:
Alex and her Ikigai Coach
will distill her responses into
Mission, Vocation, Profession
and Passion.
PLEASE NOTE: There most likely will be
synergies and overlap of interests and answers,
and Alex is not expected to have it “all figured
out” at this point. This is just a starting point
to guide her through her academic experience,
and it will evolve over time.
That which
you love.
That which
you are good at.
That which
the world needs.
That which
you can be paid for.
YEAR 1

5. STEP 4:
Alex and her Ikigai coach
now work together to find
synergies and connections
between her Mission, Passion
Vocation and Profession.
From there, Alex will develop
an Ikigai Vision Statement that
will serve as a guidepost for
further exploration within the
framework of her academic
journey.
Ikigai
Vision Statement
YEAR 1

6. STEP 5:
Alex and her Ikigai coach will
meet periodically throughout
the rest of her first and second
year to select courses and
experiences that will help Alex
further explore her Ikigai Vision
Statement.
Throughout this time, her
Mission/Passion/Vocation/
Profession and Ikigai Vision
Statement are likely to evolve.
YEAR 1 YEAR 2

7. STEP 6:
By Alex’s third year, her
Ikigai Coach will introduce
the third layer of the Ikigai+
Advising Model. At this stage,
Alex will re-examine her
Mission, Passion, Vocation and
Profession to determine how
she might use those concepts
to Advocate, Develop, Innovate
and Serve.
Develop
AdvocateInnovate
Serve
YEAR 3

8. STEP 7:
Based on those actionables,
Alex develops her Ikigai Vision
Statement into an Ikigai Purpose
Statement: “My purpose is to
challenge _______.”
“My purpose is to challenge inaccessible and
archaic modes of travel — by demonstrating an
innovative design of U.S. high-speed rails that
cater to individuals with low-spectrum autism
and disabilities.”
YEAR 3

9. STEP 8:
During her third year, Alex is
placed into a Purpose Cohort
by her Ikigai Coach.
This is where Alex will work
with other students who
have synergistic Purpose
Statements to collide ideas,
conduct field tests, create
rapid prototypes, and have the
opportunity to fail fast in order
to further develop their ideas.
YEAR 3

10. STEP 9:
In her final year of college, Alex
and her Purpose Cohort will
complete a humanity-centered
capstone course, where she
will ‘bundle’ her Ikigai Purpose
Statement with 1-2 additional
students to create an impactful
and immersive experience
that showcases a marketable
idea and/or solution to their
collective challenges.
YEAR 4

11. STEP 10:
Alex’s Purpose Statement and her
capstone outcomes become a part
of her identity as she enters the
workforce and builds a career of
her own design.
As a result of the Ikigai+ Advising
Model, Alex sees her college
experience as not just preparing
her for a profession, but rather
as a holistic experience that has
redefined her as a person.