Ikigai

What is the purpose of life?

What is the aim of life?

What is the meaning of life?

What is the definition of life?

A lot of people go through this question in their life. And this is a very difficult question because this has a unique answer for every person- this is a very personal question. We feel that figuring out the answer to this question is the most important thing, and most of us are not aware of how to reach that answer.

So, let’s talk about a concept that was introduced in Japan, and because of that concept, Japanese people believe that they can answer this question.

This story begins in a village in Japan, named Okinawa.

Okinawa is an ordinary village, however, it comes with an interesting identity of its own. It is – Okinawa has the highest number of people in the world who are 100 years + of age. Yes, Okinawa has the highest number of people aged 100+ - in the entire world.

So, a lot of scientists researched this – that there must be something here in this village- be the air, be the food, be their bodies, be the minds of the natives here, because of which such a huge number of people are able to live such a long life.

And the second study is that whenever anyone tries asking the natives of Okinawa that "Are you happy in your life?" a huge majority of people state that they’re very happy in their lives.

This does not mean that they have a lot of money or they are reputed bankers or consultants or salespeople. Most people are just doing ordinary things in their lives however, they’re happy with their lives. They have all the desires in life that we do, still, they have something that is different.

To all this, they have put a name on for the purpose of life, the goal, the meaning of life- they have given a name to it and it is called, Iki-gai.

I-K-I-G-A-I

IKIGAI

Ikigai is a Japanese word that means “The Purpose of Life". The meaning of life.

Japanese people explain this in a very ordinary, very simple, although very powerful way that everyone can understand.

Ikigai states that for us to be happy, for us to discover our purpose, we need four things.

1. The thing you’re good at.

We could be good at several things. We could be great at singing, in doing a particular task, we could be good at cleaning, or at playing around, we could be good at building relationships, or in networking, we could be good at engineering, in coding, we could be good at presenting things.

There are a lot of such things that we may be good at. However, this is just one important part of life, not the entire life. Because the second part is, what makes us happy.

2. What are the things we feel happy doing?

It's not necessarily that all those things which we’re good at, make you feel happy.

It may be possible that you’re good at coding however doing it doesn’t make you happy. It may be possible that you’re good at doing artwork however doing it doesn’t make you happy either. These are just two things to know the meaning of life.

3. What is the thing doing which you could be paid for?

Suddenly things have become interesting altogether – because here I am telling you that what you are good at, what you enjoy doing, and what you could be paid for couldn’t necessarily be the same things. They could be varying things.

It is possible that you may cut wood and earn money. It may be possible that you may drive Uber and Ola to earn money. It may be possible that you open a restaurant to earn money, however, this isn’t necessary that driving an Uber is your art. It isn't necessary that driving an Uber makes you happy. It isn’t necessary that after opening that restaurant or kitchen you’ll do something you’re genuinely good at. These are three aspects.

4. Something which the world needs.

Something that will benefit the world. What does the world need? The world needs money, the world needs advice, the world needs love, the world needs a lot of things.

However, now comes the most important part. When we combine all four things together – what you’re good at, what makes you happy, what you could be paid for, and something that the world needs you get your IKIGAI.

You get to reach the meaning of your life. When all these 4 things overlap and you get one thing what you’re good at, doing what makes you happy, what you could be paid for, and that one thing that the world needs all four of these combine together to bring your meaning of life – your IKIGAI.

Now let’s try to figure out where most people like us get stuck.

Profession

If you do something that you’re not happy doing, however, you are paid for doing it and good at it – that is your profession. That is your job. That is not the meaning of your life; it is simply its dimension. It is simply the intersection of two out of these four things.

Passion

If you do something that you’re good at and love doing then it becomes your passion. Someone’s passion may not become their life. People’s passion – just covers two out of these four circles.

Mission

If you do something that you're happy doing as well as the world needs this. This is something that is your mission. But till the time that doesn’t pay you and you are not good at, it is only limited to being your vision / mission. Nothing beyond that.

Vocation

Something that the world needs and something that pays you is your vocation. However – a vocation where you don’t live under this inherent fear of losing your job. Are you happy doing the job? Maybe no. Is your job something that you love? Maybe not.

An important thing to consider is whenever you’d ask yourself that: what is it something that I’m happy doing, what is it that I’m good at, what is it that the world needs, and what is it that I’ll be paid for all these four aspects needed for IKIGAI.

Defining the 4 aspects

These are your own points of view, not of the world. Because to an extent when every single human being is influenced by a thought process, they mold themselves to that thinking pattern. So, it is easy to convince yourself by doing anything you want just by saying that this is what the world needs, this is what will make me money, I’m happy doing this, I’m good at this – all this is going to be your own thought process.

The more you tend to be honest with yourself, you’ll move closer to your own IKIGAI.

If you end up lying to yourself about what you’re good at or what makes you happy, you will end up drifting further away from your IKIGAI, you won’t be able to make it fit into your life.

This concept of IKIGAI is extremely simple yet powerful.

Devote yourself to doing something that helps you find out what you're good at, doing it makes you happy, it would pay you, and it is something that the world needs.

When you’ll meet all four things at an intersection of your life, you would’ve reached your life’s meaning, your life’s purpose. You would’ve reached your IKIGAI.