What is Ikigai?

Are you happy with your job? 

Do you get up every day with a feeling of satisfaction? 

Do you feel you are living a fulfilled life? 

 

If the answer is no, there are chances you have not found your Ikigai yet! 

 

Now, you must be wondering what does Ikigai mean? 

 

When translated to English, the Japanese word Ikigai means “One’s reason for being”.

The concept of Ikigai originated from the people living on the island of Okinawa, Japan. The islands of Okinawa are known as the land of immortals because the highest number of centenarians (age of 100+) live on this island. And their secret to a peaceful, joyful, and long life is nothing but the concept of Ikigai. 

 

Ikigai can be described as an intersection of 4 vital elements that constitute life:

 

  1. Passion- Doing what you are good at and what you love. 
  2. Mission- Doing what you love and what the world needs.
  3. Vocation- Doing what the world needs and what you can get you paid. 
  4. Profession- Doing what can get you paid and what you are good at

 

Look at this diagram to get understand it better: 

 

Ikigai Is Not a Venn Diagram. Outside of Japan, ikigai is a greatly… | by Nicholas Kemp | Medium

 

 

Let us dive deep into all four elements: 

 

1) Something that you love to do:

This circle contains what we do or experience that brings us the most happiness in life. It can be anything! Writing, singing, painting, analyzing numbers, etc. 

You need to sit and ask yourself what you love doing. You need not be concerned whether you are good at it or if it pays well or not and if the world needs it or not. You only need to understand whether you enjoy doing it or not. 

 

2) Something you are good at: 

The sphere contains things you are good at doing. For instance, you might be a very skilled photographer or have excellent communication skills. 

This sphere encloses your talents or capabilities without considering all the other factors- whether you can get paid for it or if you enjoy doing it and if the world needs it or not. 

 

3) Something you can be paid for: 

This part of the diagram shows whether you can get paid for your skills or not. After all, you need to sustain yourself in this world too! To illustrate, you might be a good sketcher but you need to see if someone is ready to pay for it or not. 

In short, you need to find ways to monetize your skills. 

 

4) Something that the world needs: 

This sphere tells you to find a market for your skills. 

 

Is your work considered a high demand in the marketplace?

Are you solving a social, economic, or environmental problem?

Will your hobby or craft still be valuable in the future? 

 

So, at the intersection of the 4 spheres, you will find your IKIGAI! 

 

In simpler words,

To find the reason for your existence.

To find your reason for being. 

To find the reason why you wake up every day. 

 

Do you know the reason why you wake up every day? 

 

Comment below 🙂 

 

Stay Awesome. Stay Productive.

– Divas Gupta 

 


By divasgupta   |   January 31, 2022


One response to “What is Ikigai?”

  1. Nisha Bansal says:

    I am passionate abt what I do… I wake up early morning to complete that passion …