Finding out what to do with your life can be hard sometimes.
So when I came across this fascinating concept of ‘Ikigai’ which literally translates to ‘a reason for living’ – a concept that apparently the residents of a Japanese island with the world’s longest living people follow religiously, I just had to find out more.
Ikigai is the idea of seeking a purpose in everything you do, of finding a sense of deep fulfilment beyond mere happiness. It is not limited to satisfaction at work – hobbies, friendships, community and travel all contribute to your ikigai.
According to these villagers, there are four things you need to acquire to feel a sense of ‘Ikigai’. These are:
- Passion: what you’re good at and love
- Mission: what you love and what the world needs
- Profession: what you are good at and what you can be paid for
- Vocation: what you can be paid for and what the world needs
To understand what these terms all mean and how they overlap with one another, it is helpful to look at these terms on a Venn diagram:
So if you’re trying to find out what you want to focus on, it might be helpful to think to yourself – do I have these four things and if I don’t, which one am I missing? How might I be able to acquire it?
If you’d like to learn more about ‘Ikigai’, please take a look at Hector Garcia & Francesc Miralles’ novel Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life
IN TRANSIT; 