Reach Ultimate Life Fulfillment With This Japanese Secret

In recent years, the Japanese concept of “Ikigai” has been gaining popularity worldwide as a way to find purpose and meaning in life. This philosophy can help you achieve happiness and fulfilment in your personal and professional life.

What is Ikigai?

Ikigai (pronounced ee-kee-guy) is a Japanese concept that means ‘a reason for being’. It is about finding the intersection of what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. The goal of ikigai is to align these four elements and find a sense of purpose and meaning in your life. It is about finding your unique passion, talent, and mission in life, and living it to the fullest.

The four pillars of Ikigai:

1. 1. Profession: This is the place where most people start- finding a career that they are skilled at and they can be paid for. It’s not uncommon to hear people who are doing a job they may not enjoy but that pays the bills. This is practical but unfortunately, can lead to burnout and long-term job dissatisfaction, especially given the many hours of our lives we will ultimately spend working. After all, we should work to live not live to work!
2. 2. Passion: For most people, this is the ultimate goal- finding the thing that drives you, something that you both love and are good at. Given the realities of life and the necessity of having money, sometimes people overlook their passion in order to earn a living. We all know people who may have a passion for making music or art, who have had to continue this as a hobby simply given the difficulties of transforming these passions into stable, well-paying jobs that can support them.
3. 3. Mission: This is what many of us associate with charity and volunteer work. It is centred on contributing your passion to serve the community. In itself, having a mission can be a fulfilling and heart-warming endeavour but as you can see in the diagram above, it may not necessarily pay the bills and is not something you can usually live off doing alone.
4. 4. Vocation: This is about pursuing a career that has a seemingly more significant purpose attached- something that addresses a need in the community. This diagram suggests it is not always something you love or are necessarily good at but maybe something that drives you to get up in the morning.

 

The Benefits

Finding your ikigai can have many benefits for your personal and professional life, such as:

• – Sense of purpose: Ikigai can give you a clear sense of purpose and direction in life. When you have a reason for being, you are more motivated to wake up every morning and pursue your goals.
• – Happiness: Ikigai is about finding joy in what you do. It can bring a sense of contentment and fulfilment to your life.
• – Improved health: Studies have shown that having a sense of purpose can improve your physical and mental health. It can reduce stress levels, lower the risk of depression, and increase your life expectancy.
• – Increased productivity: When you are passionate about what you do, you are more likely to be productive and efficient in your work. Ikigai can help you find the right balance between work and personal life, leading to greater productivity and satisfaction.

 

How to Find Your Ikigai

Finding your ikigai requires introspection and self-awareness. Check out my career planner on Etsy, which helps guide you through the process below. Here are the steps you can follow:

 

2. Identify your values and beliefs: Think about what is most important to you and what you stand for. This will help you align your passion and mission in life.

3. Explore new experiences: Try new things and step out of your comfort zone. This will help you discover new passions and talents.

4. Reflect on your past experiences: Think about what you enjoyed most about your past experiences and how you can incorporate those elements into your current life.

5. Research and explore: Consider combining some of the aspects above to help you match to potential careers and activities you can pursue to help you reach greater life satisfaction and fulfillment.

Ikigai is a powerful concept that can help you find your purpose and meaning in life. By aligning what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for, you can achieve a balance between happiness and fulfilment in your personal and professional life. While life does not always combine all these elements perfectly, it is nevertheless important to consider all these aspects to maximise your life pursuits. So take the time to explore your passions and values and discover your own unique reason for being.