:Ikigai The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life Might Just Help You
Live a More Fulfilling Life
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.
· your values
· things you
like to do
· things you
are good at
The cross section of the
three lists is your ikigai.
Studies
show that losing one’s purpose can have detrimental effect.
Just as humans have lusted after objects and money
since the dawn of time, other humans have felt dissatisfaction at the
relentless pursuit of money and fame and have instead focused on something
bigger than their own material wealth. This has over the years been described
using many different words and practices, but always hearkening back to the
central core of meaningfulness in life.
ikigai is seen as
the convergence of four primary elements:
·
What you love (your passion)
·
What the world needs (your
mission)
·
What you are good at (your
vocation)
·
What you can get paid for
(your profession)
Discovering
your own ikigai is said to bring fulfilment, happiness and make you live
longer.
Want to
find your Ikigai? Ask yourself the following four questions:
·
1. What do I love?
·
2. What am I good at?
·
3. What can I be paid for
now — or something that could transform into my future hustle?
·
4. What does the world need?
The ten
rules that can help anyone find their own ikigai: -
·
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
What
you deeply care about can unlock your ikigai
Follow
your curiosity.
·
The problem for millions of
people is that they stop being curious about new experiences as they assume responsibilities
and build routines.
·
Their sense of wonder starts
to escape them.
·
But you can change that,
especially if you are still looking for meaning and fulfilment in what you do
daily.
Albert Einstein encouraged us
to pursue our curiosities. He once said:
“Don’t think about why you
question, simply don’t stop questioning. Don’t worry about what you can’t
answer, and don’t try to explain what you can’t know. Curiosity is its own
reason. Aren’t you in awe when you contemplate the mysteries of eternity, of life,
of the marvellous structure behind reality? And this is the miracle of the
human mind — to use its constructions, concepts, and formulas as tools to
explain what man sees, feels and touches. Try to comprehend a little more each
day. Have holy curiosity.”
A classic example is Steve Jobs’ curiosity for typefaces
which led him to attend a seemingly useless class on typography and to develop
his design sensibility.
Later, this sensibility
became an essential part of Apple
computers and Apple’s core differentiator in the market.
We are born curious. Our
insatiable drive to learn, invent, explore, and study deserves to have the same
status as every other drive in our lives.
Fulfilment
is fast becoming the main priority for most of us.
Millions of
people still struggle to find: -
·
What they are meant to do?
· What
excites them?
· What makes
them lose the sense of time?
·
What brings out the best in
them
“Our
intuition and curiosity are very powerful internal compasses to help us connect
with our ikigai,” Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles write.
What is the
one simple thing you could do or be today that would be an expression of your
ikigai?
Find it and
pursue it with all you have, anything less is not worth your limited time on
planet earth.
COMPILED BY:
DURBA MITRA
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