Having a sense of purpose

[lpetrich]

Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life Might Just Help You Live a More Fulfilling…

In Japan, millions of people have ikigai (pronounced Ick-ee-guy)— a reason to jump out of bed each morning.

What’s your reason for getting up in the morning?

The Japanese island of Okinawa, where ikigai has its origins, is said to be home to the largest population of centenarians in the world.

Ikigai is a convergence of four elements:

• What you love
• What the world needs
• What you are good at (skill)
• What you can get paid for (career)

The page has a Venn diagram showing what overlaps give:

• Love + Needs = Mission
• Needs + Career = Vocation
• Career + Skill = Profession
• Skill + Love = Passion

• Skill + Love + Needs: Delight and fullness, but no wealth
• Love + Needs + Career: Excitement and complacency, but sense of uncertainty
• Needs + Career + Skill: Comfortable, but feeling of emptiness
• Career + Skill + Love: Satisfaction, but feeling of uselessness

All four: ikigai.


Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles have written a book, Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life, and they propose ten rules:

1. Stay active and don’t retire
2. Leave urgency behind and adopt a slower pace of life
3. Only eat until you are 80 per cent full
4. Surround yourself with good friends
5. Get in shape through daily, gentle exercise
6. Smile and acknowledge people around you
7. Reconnect with nature
8. Give thanks to anything that brightens our day and makes us feel alive.
9. Live in the moment
10. Follow your ikigai

[Shake]

I've generally been a floater most of my life. My parents didn't push me much at all, and I've only had periods of true self-motivation. I definitely need more of this in my life, to gain some direction and purpose. My purpose now seems rather limited to survival and being of service to my offspring. I find I'm still trying to find out who I am.

Thanks for sharing this. I think it may be of some help to me.