How to Find Your IKIGAI: A Japanese Philosophy for Living a Meaningful Life
Catherine Canales
Chief Commercial Officer | Driving Revenue Growth | Marketing & Brand Strategist | Female Leadership Coaching & Career Strategist | High-Performing Dream Teams Builder
Have you ever wondered what your true purpose in life is? Do you have a reason to get up in the morning and do what you love? If you are feeling lost, confused, or dissatisfied with your current situation, you might want to learn about a Japanese concept called IKIGAI.
IKIGAI (pronounced ee-key-guy) is a word that combines two Japanese terms: iki, meaning “life” or “alive”, and gai, meaning “benefit” or “worth”. Together, they mean “a reason for living”, “a meaning for life”, or “what makes life worth living”. IKIGAI is similar to the French term “raison d’être” or “reason for being”.
IKIGAI is not just a concept but a philosophy and a way of life that the Japanese have practiced for centuries. It is based on finding and pursuing your passions, talents, values, and needs and aligning them with the needs of the world. It is about discovering what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for.
According to some researchers, IKIGAI may be one of the secrets behind the longevity and happiness of the people of Okinawa, Japan. Okinawa is known as one of the “blue zones”, regions where people live longer than average. Okinawans have less desire to retire as they continue to do their favorite jobs as long as they remain healthy. They also have strong social ties and a sense of community, which they call moai.
Finding your IKIGAI can bring you many benefits, such as:
How can you find your IKIGAI? There is no one-size-fits-all answer, as IKIGAI is personal and unique to each individual. However, here are some steps that might help you:
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Finding your IKIGAI may not be easy or quick, but it is definitely worth it. It can transform your life and make it more meaningful, enjoyable, and fulfilling. It can also inspire others to find their own IKIGAI and create a positive impact in the world.
So what are you waiting for? Start your journey to find your IKIGAI today!
Founder, Biohacker & Web3 Advocate. Building LIMITLESS - Longevity Community ?? | I invest in Community-based Startups.
1 年Great post! But did you know that Ikigai is actually not what we’ve been told? I wrote a post about How We’ve Been Misled and What It Really Means ?? https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/adamhaluska_this-is-not-ikigai-activity-7120698514677841920-zF7O?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios
A Japanese Soul x New Yorker's Mind?? Founder @ Mogami 最上 || ?? Author & Advocate for Eating Disorder Recovery || ?? Japanese Calligrapher & Registered UK Health Coach || ?? Entrepreneur
1 年Hi, ?Catherine Canales - delighted to see you pick up on Ikigai as a key driver in longevity and wellbeing! At the same time, it is worth noting that this Ikigai Venn Diagram is not how Japanese culture utilises this important concept and is a Spanish astrologer's purpose model relabelled as Ikigai by a British blogger. I am aligned with the importance of everyone having an ikigai or even ikigais in their lives - I've written a blog post here if you want to explore further. https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/why-you-shouldnt-use-ikigai-venn-diagram-saori-okada/
Augmenting your Business ?? Automating Creative Workflows for Leaders in Content, Marketing & Sales ?? Futurist Speaker & University Lecturer on AI and XR.
1 年reminds me to daoist ideas too!
Thanks for sharing, Catherine! I'm definitely going to think about this as I plot my next steps.
Ikigai Keynote Speaker, Author, Facilitator, Coach, Podcaster | Founder of Ikigai Tribe | Offering an evidence-based coaching program on the ikigai concept.
1 年Hey ?Catherine, I certainly agree ikigai gives us a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment when we engage in activities that are interracially motivating resulting in a boost in our self-esteem and well-being. While this Venn diagram continues to inspire and can serve as a useful tool to reflect on the professional role/s we'd like to pursue it is not Japanese in origin and not how Japanese perceive ikigai. Kudos should go to Andres Zuzunaga for this particular iteration of the Venn diagram who had proposito (purpose) in the center before it was merged with ikigai. Unfortunately the majority of the content about ikigai shared online is composed of misconceptions (The Venn diagram) and romanticised Western notions (Okinawa and longevity link). Rather than being a sweet spot of these four questions, to the Japanese ikigai is the spectrum of people, relationships, activities and practises that makes life worth living. I have had the pleasure of interviewing several Japanese researchers and authors on the subject of ikigai on my podcast. Happy to share the link to the podcast if you are interested. ??