Ikigai is a Japanese concept that means your ‘reason for being.’ ‘Iki’ in Japanese means ‘life,’ and ‘gai’ describes value or worth. Your ikigai is your life purpose or your bliss. It’s what brings you joy and inspires you to get out of bed every day.
Ikigai also appears related to the concept of flow. Flow can be said to occur when you are consistently doing something you love and that you are good at, with the possible added benefit of bringing value to others’ lives.
This conception of ikigai sounds close to a Zen Buddhist mentality, emphasizing being active, being in the moment, taking joy in the small occurrences in life, and finding a state of flow in one’s life.
Apart from living a longer and happier life, knowing your ikigai can help you: Design your ideal work lifestyle, Create strong social connections at work, Create a healthy work-life balance, Pursue your career dreams and Enjoy your work.
Further, it is said that everyone has an ikigai – their particular intersection of passion, talent, and potential to benefit others. It is only a matter of finding it. The journey to ikigai might require time, deep self-reflection, and effort, but it is one we can all make.
The concept of ikigai as a purpose in life with both personal and social dimensions is captured by the well-known ikigai diagram. This diagram includes overlapping spheres covering: What you love, What you are good at, What the world needs and What you can get paid for.
How do I discover my ikigai?
Step 1. Answer some questions to find your ikigai
1.What do you love?
If you’re currently working or if you have a hobby or craft, ask yourself these questions: Are you absorbed in your work? Are you more excited about going to work than you are about leaving work? Do you have an emotional connection to your work results?
- What are you good at?
Do people ask you for advice on topics related to your work? Are there parts of your job that come easily to you? Are you one of the best at what you do? Are you/Do you want to be an expert at what you do? Do people compliment you on your hobby or craft?
- What does the world need?
Is your work considered a high demand in the marketplace? Picture the next year, 10 years, and 100 years — will your work still be valuable? Are you solving a social, economic, or environmental problem? Is your hobby or craft in high demand or desirable in the marketplace?
- What can you be paid for?
Are there other people getting paid for the same work you’re doing? Do you make a good living/Will you eventually make a good living doing your work? Is there a healthy level of competition for your work? Have other people made a career out of the same hobby or craft?
Step 2. Brainstorm to find your ikigai
Spend some time visualizing your ideal day from start to finish. Believe it or not, this is going to help you determine your ikigai and your true meaning. What are you wearing? Who are you talking to? What are you doing? Pay attention to how you feel. What makes you feel good at work? When you’re finished visualizing, make sure to write it down (or write it down as you’re visualizing).
Step 3. Study to find your ikigai
You now have a picture in your head about what your ideal workday looks like. Now, consider studying, researching, taking classes, or hiring a coach or mentor. This step can help you discover if your vision meets your real-life expectations.
4 steps to embracing your ikigai
Once you’ve found your ikigai, here’s how to bring it to life:
Step 1. Create small goals
Step 2. Plan it out
Step 3. Create a support system
Step 4. Test it out
3 challenges you might face while discovering your ikigai
- Feeling overwhelmed
It’s normal to feel overwhelmed when you’re trying to discover your purpose. The trick is to keep moving forward and ask for support when you need it. Keep taking action steps towards your goals, no matter how small. Keep moving!
- Feeling like you don’t have time
The good news about time is that it’s malleable. With some creativity, you can stretch and organize it to fit your needs.
- Fear-based thinking
Our brains are hardwired to protect us from danger — but our brains can sense danger even when there isn’t any. It doesn’t feel intuitive to put fear in the back seat when you’re working towards a goal. But with a little practice, it’ll get easier.