Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to Finding Happiness
It's a topic that graces countless magazine covers, has inspired several bestselling books in recent seasons, and captivates personal development enthusiasts worldwide.
It's a topic that graces countless magazine covers, has inspired several bestselling books in recent seasons, and captivates personal development enthusiasts worldwide. I'm referring to ikigai. Truth be told, this Japanese concept deserves recognition from everyone. Beyond being a tool for self-fulfillment, this life philosophy is also the longevity secret of the inhabitants of Okinawa island. Here's more about this quest for happiness…
Ikigai, In Pursuit of Fulfillment!
The concept of happiness originates from the small island of Okinawa in Japan. Indeed, this life philosophy is said to be the longevity secret of the inhabitants of this island, which is known as a blue zone (a rare place in the world where the population includes many centenarians). Renowned author Dan Buettner and his team even conducted an investigation on the subject. They discovered a correlation between the fact that these Japanese people possess a genuine motivation to wake up each morning and the fact that they enjoy a longer life expectancy than average. And that's where ikigai comes into play!
This life philosophy has its origins in the 14th century. It literally translates to 'to live' (ikiru) and 'the reason for what one hopes' (kai). In other words, ikigai is characterized by joy of living or reason for living. In practice, ikigai is a work of introspection that allows you to identify your passions, aptitudes, and talents to discover your own calling, whether personal or professional. It's a wonderful personal development tool that enables complete self-fulfillment.
Be careful not to reduce ikigai solely to social success and ambitions. It can define the love of simple things experienced in the present moment and in everyday life. Because beyond self-fulfillment, ikigai is above all a means of contributing to the common good by helping others and making yourself useful to the world.
How to Find Your Ikigai?
You'll need nothing more than a sheet of paper, a pencil, and patience. Because this work of introspection can take time. It's a personal process unique to each individual that may take days, weeks, or even months and years. The exercise consists of answering 4 questions. Namely:
1. What do you love? The goal here is to define what makes you happy, what inspires you, and what drives you daily.
2. What are you good at? The idea is to list all your strengths, talents, aptitudes, and natural gifts. This can cover any domain: from art to music to human relations…
3. How do you make money? To answer this question, you must identify the professional skills you've acquired and those you wish to put to use today to earn your living.
4. What help can you bring to the world? According to you, how can you be useful to the common good? Based on your convictions and what matters to you, find causes to champion and define what you'd like to change in today's world and the means to achieve it.
Once you've identified the answers to these questions, you can draw 4 circles that intersect with one another. Each circle corresponding to a domain (passion, profession, vocation, mission). By answering the 4 questions, you'll be able to define key words to place in the sections corresponding to the intersections until you reach your ikigai.
To find an ikigai diagram model, you can draw inspiration from the one at etre-optimiste.fr.
Once again, finding your ikigai is not easy. You must take into account the different cycles of life and understand that ikigai can vary from one moment to another. That's why the Japanese regularly ask themselves these questions. In any case, the journey toward your quest for happiness will teach you much about yourself and will only be beneficial…
Frequently asked questions
Ikigai is a Japanese life philosophy that originated on the island of Okinawa. The word is composed of 'ikiru' (to live) and 'kai' (the reason for what one hopes), and literally designates your reason for living or your joy of living in everyday life. It is both a tool for personal fulfillment and an art of living rooted in the small things of daily life.
Ikigai has its origins in Japan as far back as the 14th century. It is particularly associated with the island of Okinawa, considered a 'blue zone', that is to say, a place where the population includes many centenarians. Researchers like Dan Buettner have established a link between the practice of ikigai and the exceptional longevity of its inhabitants.
To find your ikigai, answer these 4 questions: What do you love? What are you good at? How can you earn your living? How can you be useful to the world? Next, draw 4 circles that intersect with each other, each representing an answer (passion, vocation, mission, profession). The intersection of these 4 circles reveals your ikigai.
There is no universal timeline: finding your ikigai is a personal journey that can take days, several weeks, or even months or years. What matters is allowing yourself time for introspection and revisiting your answers regularly, as ikigai can evolve through different life cycles.
No, that's often a shortcut perpetuated by the Western interpretation of the concept. Ikigai in the Japanese sense can also refer to simple daily pleasures: a morning coffee, a walk, a conversation with a loved one. It encompasses everything that gives you a reason to wake up in the morning, whether grand ambitions or small, seemingly insignificant joys.
