Discovering Entrepreneurial Identity Through Ikigai : An Experiential Exercise for Entrepreneurship Students

This article introduces an experiential classroom exercise utilizing the Japanese concept of Ikigai to foster entrepreneurial identity alignment among entrepreneurship students. Entrepreneurs often struggle with misalignment between their personal values, strengths, and their entrepreneurial pursuits, potentially leading to decreased satisfaction and motivation. The primary purpose of this exercise is to guide students in articulating personal passions, strengths, societal contributions, and viable economic opportunities, thereby generating authentic and personally meaningful entrepreneurial ideas. Designed for easy implementation in both in-person and online classroom settings, this interactive activity engages students through structured introspection, collaborative idea generation, and peer feedback. It is particularly suitable for undergraduate and graduate-level entrepreneurship courses. By linking identity alignment with entrepreneurial ideation, this exercise contributes to enhancing students’ self-awareness and generating entrepreneurial ideas aligned closely with their personal identities.