“Ikigai” describes a way of living where life gets an overall meaning and focuses on the here and now. The word consists of the two syllables “Iki” and “Gai” meaning “life” and “worth”. At its core, the philosophy follows a way of living that consists of 4 areas arranged in overlapping circles, which can be described as a Venn diagram.
This balance is found at the intersection where your passions and talents converge with the things that the world needs and is willing to pay for.
Your ikigai is your own, and exploring it, building it, growing it, is a quest that only you can undertake. In mainstream education we were told that what we were good at (based on a limited range of experiences in a restrictive model) was what we should do. You are good at German, so be a translator.
There is no word in Japanese that means “retire” in the western sense, and the japanese people have never heard of a “mid-life crisis”. A life of purpose is a life well lived and exists outside the boundaries of what others expect from you. Whatever your stage in life is, it is never too late to make purposeful decisions, and start living a meaningful life.