The Purpose. What a topic. We know that sometimes it can feel a little uncomfortable to talk about our personal goals. It’s uncomfortable because they vary for each person. Maybe, for someone, their purpose in life is to be successful, for another, it might be to learn how to swim, and for yet another, it could be simply to get out of bed in the morning. That’s why today we want to introduce you to this term, which is short but carries a lot of meaning: Ikigai. Ikigai is a Japanese term that refers to our purpose. “Iki” means “to live” and “gai” means “reason.” Hence, its meaning: “reason to live.”
What would you say if I asked you what your purpose in life is? And what about your daily purpose? It’s okay if you don’t know how to answer yet. It’s not easy. That’s why today, we’re diving into our Ikigai, to find our reason for being. Are you ready?
What is Ikigai?
The people of Japan believe that everyone has an Ikigai – a reason to jump out of bed every morning.
The ancient Japanese philosophical term “Ikigai” originated in the Heian period. It is a famous culture in the Okinawa Islands of Japan. It is becoming popular among the elderly and the new generation in Japan and worldwide.
According to Ikigai Living:
In its literal form, the term “iki” refers to the concept of life or being alive, while “kai,” (pronounced as “gai” in this case) can be translated as worthiness, fruitfulness, or effectiveness.
It is worth noting that “kai” carries a strong connotation of challenge. Associated with passion, it implies that pursuing it requires a significant amount of effort and determination. Thus, a literal translation may not fully convey the depth and significance of the term. As a result, numerous translations have been proposed, all of which are considered to be accurate:
- Reason to live
- The purpose of life
- Reason for being
- The meaning of life
- Reason to get up in the morning or jump out of bed
- What makes life worth living
- The thing that you live for
- Happiness of being
How to Practice Ikigai?
You may have heard about the book “Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life”, by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles. In this book, the authors developed their ten rules of Ikigai:
- Stay active; don’t retire.
- Take it slow.
- Don’t fill your stomach.
- Surround yourself with good friends.
- Get in shape for your next birthday.
- Smile.
- Reconnect with nature.
- Give thanks.
- Live in the moment.
- Follow your Ikigai.
What Are the Benefits of Fiding My Purpose?
Japanese Psychiatrist Dr Mieko Kamiya proposes that there are seven needs for Ikigai:
- Life Satisfaction
- Change and Growth
- A Bright Future (Hope)
- Community and Connection
- Freedom of Choice
- Self-Actualisation
- Meaning and Value
Four Pillars of Ikigai
It’s worth noting that, while traditional Japanese philosophy focuses on achieving your bliss, western interpretations have used ikigai to locate your dream job which includes the following:
・ What you love: is there any activity you love or can’t seem to get enough of?
・ What you are good at: What is your passion?
・ What you can be paid for: Do you make enough for a living?
・ What the world needs: Is your field of work desirable or in high demand?
What’s Your Purpose?
Today’s prompt is this: What is your purpose? Today, I want to invite you to ask yourself this question and see what answer you find. But remember: there are no right answers. Your Ikigai can change from one day to the next. And surely, your Ikigai today is not the same as last year’s. However, it’s very important for your self-awareness that you can ask yourself this question.
Finding our purpose helps us see a clear horizon. It allows us to have clear goals and to organize ourselves better. For some time now, I’ve been able to find my Ikigai. One of them was being able to reach 10,000 steps daily. I can’t explain how gratifying it was to achieve it. That’s why today, I want to encourage you to find your purpose. We have to be aware that our lives are important. You are important.
What is your purpose? What is your Ikigai?
