Does Your Career Have a Purpose?
Making the most of your career begins with you. Your personal mission. Your kokorozashi. At GLOBIS, we believe kokorozashi is how professionals shape careers around their passions to make a positive impact on ourselves, our organizations, and society.
Kokorozashi: The Japanese Path to Purpose
Kokorozashi is a Japanese word that, in its simplest interpretation, means “will” or “ambition”. But at GLOBIS, we take this much further. To us, kokorozashi is a personal mission that unifies the passions and skills of a professional to create positive change in society.
What Does Kokorozashi Mean?
The Japanese character for kokorozashi has two parts. On the top is the radical 士, which means “scholar” or “person with aspirations”. On the bottom is 心, the radical for “heart and mind”.
Together, these form the kokorozashi kanji 志, which represents how your aspirations are driven by both your head and heart.
Kokorozashi vs. Ikigai
What Is Ikigai?
You may have heard another Japanese word that relates to motivation: ikigai. Popularized over the last few years by books and research, ikigai (生きがい) has helped a lot of people rethink their purpose in life.
But make no mistake: ikigai and kokorozashi are not the same thing.
Ikigai is often explained as a “reason to get up in the morning”. It can be found at the intersection of passion, mission, profession, and vocation. Your ikigai may be rooted in your commitment to family, the work you do volunteering at an animal shelter, or landing new clients for the agency that employs you—anything that sparks joy.
What Is Kokorozashi?
Kokorozashi, on the other hand, drives you toward a goal. It is a long-term vision with focus on social consciousness helping you achieve your ambitions. For example, not just volunteering at that animal shelter, but helping the shelter refine its marketing strategies for the year, improving conditions for the animals, organizing events to secure donations, starting TNR initiatives across your city, etc.
The biggest difference is that kokorozashi starts with you, but it doesn’t end there. It’s defined by determination toward a goal with a greater purpose: positive impact on society.
Because of this long-term nature and significant purpose, a kokorozashi is always evolving. Developing yours takes discipline, reflection, adjustment—and a little guidance.
That’s where GLOBIS comes in.
Find Your Kokorozashi with GLOBIS
Kokorozashi is a central component of GLOBIS. We are committed to guiding our clients, students, and users through a blend of education and self-reflection. You’ll learn some frameworks to help you define and refine a kokorozashi that has meaning to you. You’ll also learn how your passion and experience are tools that can set you on your journey.
What’s more, you’ll join a community of like-minded professionals who can help shape your vision. Though your kokorozashi will be driven by you, the best results don’t come in a vacuum. Discussion and feedback can help with reflection, provide new insights, and even change your direction to new avenues you may never have considered on your own.
Specialized courses bring all of these components together for a deeper understanding of your unique mission. Expert mentors help you articulate where you are trying to go, ensuring that your kokorozashi is not just a concept, but a guiding principle for your life and career.
