Ikigai, or how to find meaning in life
Looking for meaning in your professional and private life? You might have heard about ikigai, an old Japanese concept of “the reason why you wake up in the morning”. Simply put, it is a treasure map, which helps you discover what’s important for you and how you can contribute with your talents to the society to lead a meaningful life.
Ikigai = your raison d’être
Ikigai (pronounced ee-key-guy) consists of two Japanese words, “iki” which means being, life and “kai” (gai) which translates to worth, use or benefit. Together, these words mean a life worth living, or a life well-lived.
Ikigai originated in Okinawa, which is famous, amongst other things, of the world’s highest percentage of centenarians in the population. Some claim that one of the reasons why Okinawans live so long is because they lead fulfilling lives, in harmony with their values and passions.
You might have seen the ikigai diagram before. It consists of four intersecting circles of our passions, talents, world’s needs and the demand on the labor market. In short, ikigai is the sweet spot between these four sections, and if we can achieve it, we can experience more natural flow in our daily life and more overall satisfaction, the feeling of inner peace. In other words, living in ikigai means following your own path, which in turn supports your well-being, mental health and makes work more meaningful than just getting a monthly paycheck.
First find your passion
Mapping your ikigai starts with answering the questions “what is it that you love?”, in other words finding your “why” you want to get up in the morning. You can reflect on it by answering these questions: What makes your heart sing? What are your deepest values? What is it that gives you the energy and brings a smile on your face? You might also scroll through all our life until today to look for some hints. What were the happiest moments in your life so far? What do they have in common? Do you see any patterns? After years have passed, which happy moments, from your professional and private life, do you remember best? What gives you energy and inspiration?
Map your talents
Now move to what you are best at. As women, we tend to suffer from the impostor syndrome more often than men, so be aware, shake it off and don’t be shy! You don’t have to be in top 1% to say that you’re good at something. So, cut yourself some slack and write down all the things you’re fabulous at. Are you an analytical thinker, do you have an eye to detail, or perhaps you know exactly how to lead others in a group effort? Are you a creative soul, a superhero of organization, or a skillful communicator? Jot down everything that comes to your mind, from talents you exhibit at work, to everything you’re good at in your private sphere. Take your time and dig into your true, unique potential that you can keep on developing to be the best version of yourself.
Find your place in the world
Once you covered your unique talents and passions, it’s time to check how you can use them in the world to achieve best outcomes, for you and for the society. Finding what the world needs is relatively easy. There is so much to do! You might consider big global challenges, such as climate change or equality, or focus on the needs of your small local community. Remember that ikigai is about finding your own path, so just look at the world from your own perspective to find out how you can best contribute, in line with your values and desires.
Make a living
Finally, here comes the final reality check. With all your good intentions, passions and talents, you still need to be paid for what you can offer. So, let it sink in a bit. How can you make living? And how much do you need to be paid? Don’t make the mistake of assuming that money leads to fulfillment. Yes, money is cardinal for our survival, but it is not everything. Sometimes, it might be better to earn less, but have the job that really fits your personality and expectations or gives you the time to dive into your hobbies or side projects. Find out your balance between how much you want to earn and how important it is for you to find meaning in what you do.
A journey, not a destination
Did you fill in the four diagrams, but you don’t see them overlapping in the sweet ikigai spot? Don’t worry, it will come, and you just made the first step in this direction. Now that you know where you stand and what you want, you can more clearly set the direction towards your ikigai. Perhaps it’s time to brush up these long-forgotten talents that you exhibited as an adolescent? Or start a side gig where you can follow your passion, so that one day it can grow into a full-time job? Or perhaps it’s time to reevaluate your employer and see if you could use your talents in a different organisation, more aligned with your values? The choice whether you will follow the treasure map to find the highest reward there is — a meaningful life — is entirely up to you.
What do you think about the ikigai concept? Where on the diagram are you currently? How will you plan to move towards the sweet spot of ikigai? Write in the comments.
