(1/24) A reason to wake up in the morning! – IKIGAI

Not that I am an avid reader or capable of completing chapters consecutively in a day, but as of 2024, I made a commitment to finish two books per month, hence the (1/24) in the title. I attribute this decision to the influence of "Atomic Habits" by James Clear, which I'll delve into in my upcoming note. It's worth noting that I won't be providing book reviews, I am not credible enough in assessing underwhelming or overwhelming aspects of a book by any author. Instead, each note will focus on the lessons learned or my takeaways from the book.

Regarding IKIGAI, it took me some time to ensure I pronounce it correctly. As a concept, it translates to "A reason for being." In essence, as outlined on the back cover, it involves the intersections-

Passion (what you love + what you are good at),

Profession (what you are good at + what you get paid for),

Vocation (what you get paid for + what the world needs), and

Mission (what the world needs + what you love).

The book encouraged me to reevaluate the mundane aspects of my daily routine from a different perspective. In a broader sense, it advocates for designing a holistic approach around purpose, leading to a more fulfilling life. Here are my takeaways from the book:

Look Back: Reflect on the past year, month, or week. Evaluate your values and access your progress on them. Consider the status of your passion and whether you are allocating sufficient time to it. Identify what brought you joy and a sense of accomplishment. Contemplate actions you can take to make yourself proud. While it may not be a formal goal agreement, I jot down some plans for 2024, and as I reflect 2023 I thought on how I want to approach 2024. I can say that this exercise has been beneficial. I've already noticed some positive changes in just 25 days.

Explore: Try out new things and experiences that you enjoy. Remember the activities that make you lose track of time and those that give you a sense of purpose. Practicing hobbies is something I hear from all my friends they lost with time.

Discover: Engage in new activities and experiences that bring you joy. Remember the activities that made you lose track of time and those that provided you with a sense of purpose why not to indulge in them again. Many of my friends mention losing touch with their hobbies over time so take some time out to paint, track or wipe off dust on your camera.

Set habits: Define short-term and long-term goals you want to achieve and try to work towards them 0.1% better each day. This helps to break down goals and make them achievable.

Create a daily routine: Design a daily routine that incorporates activities related to your Ikigai (4 pillars we talked about earlier.) Allocate time for them.

Another important point to consider is you are paving the path so its ok to regularly reassess and be open to adapt as you go along.

While the book also delves into the topic of building relationships, my takeaway was more about reflecting on relationships, engaging with people who support and inspire me, and being considerate, parallel thinking rather than lateral, if I recall correctly. Collaborate with others who share similar interests or goals, take time to drop that message on social media about their work or leave a note behind for them.

Mindfulness: Incorporate something such as meditation or reflection, to stay connected with what I noted on the paper for 2024. Well for me its early morning music sometimes even those long instrumentals you find on YouTube when you search music to focus or meditate.

Skills: Reflect on your skills, both personal and professional. Consider what others appreciate about you or seek your advice on, build more on them.

Take into account the needs of society—can you contribute to addressing some of them? It's a significant consideration, but I believe it's a personal choice, and everyone holds their own perspectives on whether they want to share their efforts with the public. I, personally, belong to the latter group.

Finally, the book candidly mentions, it's a lifelong journey, and finding the ideal balance will require time. Be patient with yourself and welcome the ongoing process.