How are you — really?

“Surviving” Isn’t Living: Finding What Makes Work Worth Doing

For years, I worked in large organizations — the kind with layers of hierarchy, endless meetings, and a constant hum of urgency. These were places full of talent and ambition, but also fatigue.

Every morning, in hallways and on video calls, I’d hear the same casual question pass between colleagues: “How are you?”

And more often than not, the answers were eerily consistent.

“Surviving.”

“Busy.”

Rarely did anyone say, “I’m thriving,” or even look like they meant it if they did. Most of us were just trying to get through the week — eyes on the weekend, inbox overflowing, our energy stretched thin by office politics, endless targets, and invisible expectations.

It struck me how normalized that had become. “Busy” had turned into a badge of honour. “Surviving” was almost a joke, a shorthand for “I’m tired, but that’s just work.” And I always felt like asking: “How are you — really?” Somewhere along the way, feeling alive at work became optional — a luxury, not the point.

But what if it is the point?

The Quiet Question Beneath All the Noise

We live in a world that never slows down. There’s always another goal to chase, another milestone to reach. Promotions, recognition, bigger titles — the treadmill never stops. And while ambition isn’t bad, many of us still feel a quiet question rising beneath all that motion:

Is this really all there is?

You might have a good job, a decent salary, maybe even the kind of success you once dreamed of. But something still feels off. It’s like you’re running a race you didn’t choose, and no one seems to know where the finish line is — or why we’re even running.

That question — that unease — is where My Yarigai begins.

A Word Worth Holding On To

In Japanese, there’s a word: Yarigai. It roughly translates to “engaging in something worth doing.”

It’s not about passion in the Instagram sense or finding your “dream job.” It’s about something deeper — a sense of meaning. That feeling you get when what you do, day in and day out, actually matters to you. And others. When your effort connects to your values, your strengths, goals and something bigger than a paycheck.

Yarigai is personal. It’s different for everyone. For one person, it might mean leading a team through change. For another, it could be mentoring someone younger, creating something with integrity, or simply working with kindness in a difficult environment.

It’s not about perfection or constant happiness. It’s about alignment — using your time, energy, and natural abilities in a way that feels right.

Why I Wrote My Yarigai

I wrote My Yarigai: How to Survive the 9-to-5 by Finding What You Truly Care About because I’ve seen what happens when people lose sight of that alignment. I’ve seen talented people burn out. I’ve seen good people shrink into survival mode. And I’ve seen the spark come back when they reconnect to what actually drives them.

The book isn’t a step-by-step formula or a motivational speech. It’s an invitation — to slow down, to ask better questions, and to rediscover what makes your work worth doing.

Because that’s what Yarigai is about: meaning that grows from the inside out, not approval that trickles down from the top.

Stop Surviving Your Work Life — Start Living It

You don’t have to wait for a new job or a new boss to start feeling alive again.

You can begin right here, right now — with one honest question:

What makes your work worth doing?

If you’ve ever found yourself answering “Busy” or “Surviving” to How are you?, I hope this journey helps you find a better answer.

Something closer to:

“I’m good. I’m growing. I’m doing something that matters.”

Because you can.

And that’s why this work — and this conversation — matters. Now.