Have you ever felt strongly while working, "This is something I truly want to do from the heart"? Work that truly drives you is work from which passion and a sense of mission well up from within you, making you unable to refrain from action. When you encounter work that not only earns money but brings joy to your heart and lets you feel meaning, a person can bring forth their greatest abilities.
Here, from my perspective, I will consider "work that truly drives you."
What Was the Founding Experience That Moved My Heart?
The origin of INA's founding was an experience in which words from a craftsman encountered at a construction site strongly shook my heart. The sense of mission to "want to realize a society where hardworking people are properly rewarded" was born from that moment.
After graduating from university, I joined a real estate developer, engaged in launching a condominium development business, and pressed forward finding fulfillment in responsible work. However, amid daily life sweating at the construction site, I gradually came face to face with the harsh reality that "no matter how hard one works, there are many people who are not properly evaluated and not rewarded."
What remained particularly in my heart were the words of one craftsman encountered at a construction site. The words quietly spoken by that craftsman — who had been engaged in construction for many years and possessed outstanding skills — strongly shook my chest. In those words, there was regret and resignation about a reality of not being rewarded. Witnessing the injustice that people supporting the construction site were not properly evaluated, a burning emotion akin to anger welled up within me.
Through this experience, a strong wish grew — to "want to realize a society where hardworking people are properly rewarded" — and that became a firm conviction.
I came to think that there were limits to bringing about reform within an organization, and that "I have no choice but to create a new framework with myself as the main actor." While there was great anxiety in relinquishing a stable career to become independent and start a business, I received strong advice from a respected superior — "if you have ambition, create the stage to realize it yourself" — and made up my mind. Together with colleagues who shared the same ambition, I founded INA&Associates Co., Ltd. and stepped into the challenge of creating a mechanism in society where effort is properly evaluated and rewarded.
What Are the Characteristics of "Work That Truly Drives You"?
Work that truly drives you is work whose source is your own inner passion and conviction. Its characteristic is that the motivation that wells up from within is stronger than external rewards or titles.
It goes beyond the level of simply being fun because you like it, to work where you feel a mission — "this is something only I can do." When engaging in such work, a person does not give up even when encountering some difficulties, but devises creative solutions and tries to overcome them.
The characteristics of work that truly drives you are as follows:
- Rooted in values and convictions: That work is deeply connected to the values and philosophy of life that you yourself hold dear.
- Social significance and purpose can be felt: You can find meaning such as "I am helping someone" or "I am making society better."
- Absorption and continuity: Rather than a feeling of being forced, you can become absorbed of your own volition, and can continue working on it with the feeling of "I want to make this better."
- Good influence on those around you: Your working with enthusiasm stimulates and resonates with those around you, and collaborators appear.
What Are the Concrete Steps for Choosing Work That Leverages Your Passion?
To find work that truly drives you, five steps are effective: self-analysis, clarification of purpose, consultation, small actions, and courage. Specific methods for each are introduced below.
- Look back at the sources of your passion: Recall moments in your life when your heart was greatly moved and write down your values and convictions.
- Focus on the purpose of the work: Focus not just on salary and treatment but on "what you can realize through that work." Companies and work with purposes you can empathize with lead to long-term fulfillment.
- Consult with role models or mentors: It is also effective to talk about your thoughts with trusted seniors or superiors. You may be able to step forward through a third party's perspective and encouragement.
- Take even a small first step: Start from small steps such as raising your hand to participate in related projects, or getting involved through a side job or volunteering.
- Don't fear risk too much: While making careful preparations and plans, it is important not to wait too long for conditions to be perfectly in order. If the passion is genuine, you can advance while making course corrections.
How Is "Heartfelt Feeling" Reflected in INA's Philosophy?
INA's mission — "realizing a society where all people are properly evaluated and rewarded" — is the conviction itself born from the founder's founding experience. This philosophy is translated into three initiatives: talent-focused management, a highly transparent business model, and equality of opportunity.
- Management that views people as "assets": At INA, we call people not "human resources" but "talent", and place the greatest emphasis on human growth. We put effort into creating a culture of enriching information-sharing systems and encouraging challenges.
- Fair and highly transparent mechanisms: By using the latest IT to improve operational efficiency and compress intermediate margins, we have constructed a mechanism where benefits reach both property owners and partner companies.
- Equal opportunity and talent utilization: We actively adopt a strategy of utilizing talent from rural areas, and using remote work and online systems, we provide venues where people can be active regardless of location.
What Is Most Important for Stepping Out Toward the Path Your Heart Seeks?
The most important thing to find work that truly drives you is to honestly follow your own heart, find colleagues who empathize with you, and have the courage to take a step forward.
Career choices and actions taken honestly following your own heart do not end in mere self-satisfaction — they resonate with others and can have a great ripple effect. It may be buried in the busyness of daily life, but when you become aware of your inner voice, cherishing it is very important in your career.
Even if you do not make a big decision such as a job change or starting a business right away, beginning to walk step by step in the direction your heart seeks will lead to big changes in the future. The appearance of a person driven by passion propagates to those around them and attracts new collaborators and opportunities.
If you feel "is this okay as it is?" right now, please take some time to have a dialogue with your own heart. And even if it's small, try taking a step forward. Finding work that truly drives you and challenging yourself to it is the driving force that colors your life richly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What specifically is "work that truly drives you"?
It is work in which your own inner passion and convictions are the source, and you can engage with a sense of mission. It refers to work with a strong connection to your values and social significance, beyond external rewards.
What should I do if I cannot find work I am passionate about?
First, look back at experiences in your past that moved your heart and try writing down your values. Also, by getting involved in small ways in related projects or volunteering, you can confirm whether your enthusiasm is genuine.
What was the trigger for founding INA&Associates?
Words from a craftsman encountered at a construction site moved my heart, and the trigger was the birth of the strong conviction "I want to create a society where hardworking people are properly evaluated and rewarded."
When considering a job change, what is the most important criterion?
Beyond salary and treatment, whether you can genuinely empathize with the company's philosophy and vision from your heart is an important criterion. Work at companies with purposes you can empathize with leads to long-term fulfillment and career growth.
