Celia Blanco | My Perfect Balance Motivates Me to Achieve More

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My Journey to #AchieveMore

The Japanese word Ikigai (生き甲斐) means something similar to "a reason for being" or "a meaning to life". It is the intersection between what you are good at, what you love, what the world needs and what can provide income. Ikigai represents the perfect balance of skills, knowledge, satisfaction and fulfillment. Since my earliest days, I have been a particularly inquisitive spirit. More often than not, my curious mind would lead me to pester my parents (or any other adults who would listen) with an infinite battery of questions about life, the world, or how things work. As I grew older, I learned of science as the primary tool available to answer all of my questions. I discovered an intriguing field of science, called 'physics' (which actually means 'the knowledge of nature'). Needless to say, I fell in love with science, and especially with the field of physics. Some years later, I would graduate in Physics and attain a PhD in Theoretical Physics. As for the last piece of the Ikigai puzzle, it is said that once you discover something you are good at, you love doing, and the world needs, getting paid to do it will fall into place. Today, I work as a researcher in a top tier University, using physics and math to answer fundamental questions about life. In particular, I study how life might have emerged on Earth and how primitive forms of life might have evolved. I can proudly say I found my Ikigai. Being able to apply my skills and knowledge to answer important questions in a field I love makes me want to #Achievemore every day. As Mark Twain said: "Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life".

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