Personal & Talent Advisory

Find your reason for being.

Ikigai is a Japanese concept meaning "a reason for being"—the thing that gets you out of bed in the morning with purpose and contentment.

"I help you find work that brings you alive—where what you love, what you're good at, what serves others, and what sustains you financially come into harmony."

What is Ikigai?

The Japanese Understanding

In Japan, ikigai (生き甲斐) is not a grand career mission. It's your reason for being—often something small and daily. It might be morning coffee, tending a garden, or helping neighbors.

It's about finding joy and meaning in ordinary life, belonging to something beyond yourself, and feeling needed. It's less about optimization and more about contentment.

How I Apply It

While honoring the Japanese philosophy, I help you find ikigai in your work life—discovering direction that brings both inner contentment and practical sustainability.

This isn't about finding "the perfect job." It's about understanding what makes you come alive, then building work around that truth—with honesty about money, skill, and service.

Who This Is For

  • You're deciding between multiple paths and want clarity without regret.
  • You want meaningful work that also pays well—no false choice between the two.
  • You're reflective, ambitious, and ready for honest conversation—not motivational platitudes.

The 4 Questions

To find your ikigai in work, we explore four dimensions. The intersection is where clarity lives.

What do you love?

What activities make you lose track of time? What do you do voluntarily, even when no one's watching? Where does your curiosity naturally pull you?

What are you good at?

What do others ask you for help with? What comes naturally to you that others find difficult? What skills have you built through practice?

What does the world need?

What problems do you care about solving? Who do you want to serve? What change do you want to see? This is about contribution, not ego.

What can you be paid for?

What will people actually pay for in your market and situation? Not fantasy—real money, real clients, real sustainability.

How We Work Together

Two structured paths, depending on where you are and what you need.

Exploration Package

5-Session Package

$200 per session

Total investment: $1,000

What We Do

We explore each of the four questions one by one, mapping where you stand with what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what pays.

Session 1: What you love (discover your natural pull)
Session 2: What you're good at (skills + proof)
Session 3: What the world needs (service + contribution)
Session 4: What you can be paid for (market reality)
Session 5: Integration + 3–5 clear directions

Best For

  • People early in the decision process
  • Those who need to see all four dimensions before committing
  • Anyone wanting a comprehensive map of options
Start Exploration
Deep Work
Implementation Package

25-Session Package

$150 per session

Total investment: $3,750

What We Do

We start with one question that's most alive for you right now, then systematically use the other three to narrow, refine, and validate your ikigai until you have a clear, actionable path.

1.
Starting Point

6–7 sessions diving deep into your primary anchor (e.g., "What I love most")

2.
First Filter

6 sessions applying the second question to narrow options

3.
Second Filter

6 sessions applying the third question to refine further

4.
Final Convergence

6–7 sessions applying the fourth question and creating your execution plan

Example: Start with "Love" → filter through "Good At" → filter through "World Needs" → validate with "Paid For"

Best For

  • People ready to commit to finding their ikigai
  • Those who want structured accountability and support
  • Anyone needing both clarity AND implementation
Begin Deep Work

Single Session: $250

For a focused conversation on one specific question or decision point.

Book Single Session

About Me — Farr Shah

I work at the crossroads of psychology, strategy, and meaning. My background spans investment banking, product management, startup advisory, analytics, retail leadership, and an MBA from Columbia Business School—but the heart of my work has always been the same: helping people see themselves clearly, and make decisions they can live with.

Across a decade of roles in finance, technology, gaming, and consulting, I’ve learned that most people are not struggling with a lack of talent or opportunity—they’re struggling with alignment. They feel pulled in different directions by desire, skill, responsibility, money, identity, and expectation. Ikigai gives us a way to bring these forces into conversation instead of conflict.

My approach blends Western analytical training with Eastern contemplative principles. I don’t believe in grand fixes, productivity hacks, or career fantasies. I believe in honest inquiry, thoughtful structure, and decisions that feel real in your body—not just on paper.

Clients come to me for clarity, but what they often rediscover is themselves: their natural strengths, their deeper motivations, and the shape of a life and career that feels both meaningful and sustainable.

I offer a space where ambition and introspection can coexist—where we talk openly about desire, purpose, contribution, money, self-worth, and possibility without judgment or pretense. You bring your questions. I bring the frameworks, the experience, and the ability to hold complexity without losing clarity.

"My work isn’t about choosing the 'right' path. It’s about choosing a path you can inhabit fully, with integrity, courage, and peace. When your inner truth and your outer life begin to align, everything else becomes easier."

Client Stories

Sarah J.

Tech Executive

Michael T.

Founder

Elena R.

Creative Director

David K.

Product Manager

Jessica L.

Consultant

Ryan B.

Investor