Figuring out the right path toward your happiness and success can sometimes feel like solving a puzzle. Maybe you’re still wondering where your life is heading and you have no idea how to answer questions like “what is your purpose in life?” or “what is the source of your happiness and contentment?”. If that’s the case then keep on reading because today’s blogpost is all about a Japanese concept called ikigai.
Iki-what?
The term ikigai combines two Japanese words: iki which means “life” and gai which means “worth”. In other words: ikigai is your “reason for being”, something that gives you a sense of direction and happiness. Or simply think about it as your life’s goal or your reason for jumping out of bed every morning.
The importance of finding your ikigai
When you find your ikigai, you unlock a sense of purpose that brings joy and satisfaction to your everyday existence. Your ikigai doesn’t just make you happy but it also allows you to make a positive impact on the world. So it’s not just about personal fulfillment but also about meaningful contribution.
The 4 W’s
A person’s ikigai can be anything: a passion, a dream, a mission or something else that gives you happiness and purpose in life. But in order to find your own ikigai, you first need to figure out four things:
What you love
What you are good at
What you can get paid or rewarded for
What the world needs
WHAT YOU LOVE
Your ikigai should be something that makes you feel good. And that can be as simple as a hobby that you really enjoy doing, such as writing, taking photos, painting, dancing, baking or gardening.
WHAT YOU ARE GOOD AT
Your ikigai is not only something that you love doing but also something that you’re actually good at. It could be something that you naturally excel at or a skill that you’ve perfected over the years (like interior design, counseling or computer programming)
WHAT YOU CAN GET PAID OR REWARDED FOR
In order to survive you need to earn money to support your daily needs and expenses. So ideally your ikigai should also be something that you can get financially rewarded for.
WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS
Knowing that your work can change the life of other people makes you feel good: it makes you feel that you’re playing an important role in your community. Which means that your ikigai should also be something that’s really helping to make the world a better place to live in.
How to find your own ikigai
Those 4 W’s aren’t just nice-to-have when you’re trying to find your ikigai: each and everyone of them is a necessity.
For instance, if you have something that you love and that you’re really good at but it makes you feel like what you do is not creating a huge impact or it’s not giving you any financial rewards then you’ve found your passion but you still need to figure out a way on how to use your passion to earn money and to grab the attention of people and make a difference in their lives. For instance, someone who is passionate about writing could write a book or start a blog while someone who loves gardening and is skilled in growing flowers could start a small flower farm.
Or maybe you already have something that you love and it’s something that the world needs but you still lack the proven skills and knowledge in order to be considered a professional or an expert in that specific field. Taking some time to improve your skill or maybe even getting a formal education to be better at what you love will not only help you to become an expert in your field but it will also give you the opportunity to start earning money while doing what you love.
Or maybe you’re one of the many people who have something they’re good at and they’re getting paid for it. But doing what you’re good at doesn’t always mean that you’re doing something you love or something that gives you a sense of fulfillment. Or maybe you have something that the world needs and you’re getting paid for it but you’re not happy about it or you aren’t considered an expert at what you do. But even if this is the case for you: you can always figure out a way to make the most of your situation and eventually get to the point where you can have a sense of happiness, excitement, satisfaction, purpose, joy, meaning and comfort all at the same time.
In case you’re still not sure how to get started with your search: here are some tips to help you discover your ikigai:
Take some time to reflect on your passions and interests: which activities or hobbies bring you joy and make you feel energized? What are the things that you genuinly enjoy and could spend hours doing?
Take a look at your skills, strengths and talents: what are you naturally good at? Which skills and abilities come naturally to you? Is there anything that you excel at?
Reflect on what is truly important to you in life: which principles do you hold? What causes or issues are you passionate about? Which values guide your decisions and actions?
Are there any areas of overlap between your passions, skills and values?
Ask yourself the following question: how can I use my passions, skills and values to make a positive impact on others or on the world around me? Maybe you could do some volunteer work, help others or pursue a career that aligns with you values?
Don’t forget to consider the financial aspect: evaluate whether the activities or careers aligned with your ikigai can support you financially.
Don’t be afraid to explore and experiment with different hobbies, activities and areas of interest to discover new passions: your ikigai lies at the intersection of what you love to do, what you’re good at, what the world needs and what you can get paid for.
Develop a plan and set goals based on your ikigai and break each plan and goal down into smaller steps that are manageable and achievable.
Have you found your ikigai?
©HolisticHappiness2023
Comments