Ikigai Meaning

Ikigai, which translates to “cause for being,” is a Japanese concept. “iki” and “gai” are the Japanese terms for “life” and “value,” respectively. Your ikigai is your authentic self; it is your fulfillment. It is what makes you happy and drives you each morning to get out of bed.

It is essential to clarify that, whereas traditional Japanese philosophy emphasizes finding joy, western interpretations of ikigai emphasize finding your ideal career.

According to the Westernized form of ikigai, you have discovered your ideal job if it possesses the four traits listed below.

What you cherish

What you excel at

What you can earn money from

What the globe requires

Why is ikigai essential?

In Japan, women may expect to live an average of 88.09 years, while males can expect to live an average of 81.91 years. While it is true that nutrition has an effect on longevity and quality of life, many Japanese believe that ikigai has a big role.

Not only can understanding your ikigai help you live a longer and healthier life, but it will also:

Create your perfect workplace conditions.

building robust social connections at work

Maintain a healthy life-work balance.

Pursue your career ambitions.

Enjoying one’s work

Understanding and knowing your ikigai will match you with the job you’ve always wanted to accomplish and the work the world needs you to do.

Discover your ikigai in three simple steps

Here are the three most important steps we recommend taking to discover your ikigai:

Step 1: Determine your ikigai by answering a series of questions.

What do you cherish most?

If you are employed at present:

Have you lost your job?

Do you anticipate leaving work more than you anticipate beginning it?

Do you feel emotionally involved in your work’s outcomes?

If you engage in an art or hobby:

Do you have a strong interest in a certain hobby or craft?

Do you appreciate your pastime or craft beyond anything else?

Are you emotionally invested in your pastime or hobby?

What do you excel at?

If you are employed at present:

People seek your advice on problems related to your profession.

Are there components of your profession that come easily to you?

Are you a leader in your industry?

Do you desire to or currently have power in your field?

If you engage in an art or hobby:

People occasionally compliment your interest or craft.

Does your hobby or skill come naturally to you?

Are you among the greatest at your favourite activity?

Do you desire to achieve mastery in your craft or pastime?

What needs does the world have?

If you are employed at present:

Is there a strong market demand for your work?

Do you believe your work will still be important in one year, ten years, or one hundred years?

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

If you appreciate talents or hobbies:

Exists a substantial market for your passion or skill? Is it in great demand?

Will your hobby or talent be valuable in the future?

Does your hobby or talent address a social, economical, or environmental problem?

What do you get paid for?

If you are employed at present:

Does anybody else earn payment for performing the same task as you?

Ultimately, are you or will you be able to sustain yourself enough through your work?

Is the competition for your position healthy?

If you engage in an art or hobby:

Has anybody else made a living from the same hobby or talent?

Have others inquired about purchasing your products or services?

Is the rivalry for your services or goods healthy?

If you answered “yes” to each question in the section headed “If you are currently working,” continue working.

If you checked the box next to “If you have a hobby or craft” for each question, congratulations! You might make attempts to change your pastime into your ideal profession.

What if you gave a bad response?

There is further guidance on identifying your ikigai further down.

Step 2 : is to hunt for one’s ikigai. Ikigai Meaning

Spend some time visualising your ideal day from start to finish. As incredible as it may sound, this will help you identify your ikigai and genuine purpose. What are you wearing? Who are you addressing? What are your thoughts? Pay careful attention to your emotions. What aspects of your employment provide you joy?

When you are through visualising, be careful to write it down, or write it down while you are visualising.

Examine the questions you answered “no” to next. Invest effort in identifying little improvements that may be made to better align your goal. Consider how this connects to what you love doing, what you are excellent at, what the world needs, and what you can earn financially.

For example, did you answer “no” to the question “Do you have an emotional connection to your job results?” You may prefer to connect with clients in person rather than over the phone, or you may like to apply for a leadership position at your place of employment.

If you answered “no” to “Does your hobby or craft feel intuitive?” Perhaps you might enrol in courses to enhance your skills and make your work appear more natural.

Make discovering your core, or ikigai, the primary objective of this approach.

It is usual for doubt, anxiety, or negative thoughts to emerge during this time. It might be challenging to confront the future. The goal is to refrain from giving your uncertainty and fears meaning. You are more resilient and potent than you would believe.

Step 3: Conduct research to determine your ikigai

You may now picture your perfect weekday in your mind. Consider immediately studying, conducting research, enrolling in classes, or acquiring a coach or mentor. This stage allows you to analyse whether your vision matches with your expectations for the real world.

Consider the chance that you’re interested in wedding photography. However, after receiving advice from an experienced wedding photographer, you realise it’s not for you.

Or, you may have intended to sell vintage clothes but, upon learning more about the process, determined that you could not manage such a huge inventory.

Congratulations! If you go through this procedure and realise that your vision fits your expectations for your real-world experience, it looks that you have located your ikigai. To discover how to apply it, please refer to the subsequent section.

Relax if the opposite is true; identifying your ikigai may take time.

Repeat steps one through three with a new job, hobby, or talent until you discover your ikigai. Consider experimenting and dabbling in other professions or crafts if you’re still having problems locating it.

It makes no difference if you bake cakes, learn to code, volunteer, join a book club, or design a logo. Try several things until you find something that speaks to you.

Finding your ikigai does not need that every component of your profession is joyful. It suggests that you are willing to accept anything, including shortcomings. This is why your profession is aligned with what you like, what you are compensated for, and what the world needs.

How are the Japanese thriving by utilising ikigai?

The Japanese adhere to the notion of ikigai. This is why they are one of the most prosperous nations. Japan is renowned for its extended life span. The secret to their longevity is simple: healthy eating and regular exercise. Tohoku University researchers reviewed data from more than 50,000 individuals (aged 40 to 79) and found that those who reported having ikigai in their life had lower mortality rates and decreased risks of cardiovascular disease.

According to study, a feeling of purpose may inspire an individual to live a fulfilling life.

Three significant advancements by the Japanese

Shinkansen

Shinkansen was designed as “a fantasy super fast train” in 1964, during the inaugural Tokyo Olympics. Tokaido Shinkansen was the first Shinkansen to commence operation, linking Shin-Osaka and Tokyo in around four hours. This revolutionary innovation made it exceedingly easy for passengers to travel between Japan’s major cities by super express at speeds exceeding 200 km/h. In addition to locals, overseas tourists and business travellers now utilise the Shinkansen.

Cup spaghetti

The instant cup noodle is one of Japan’s most lauded inventions and has had a substantial impact on culinary culture. As a reaction to Japan’s post-World War II food crisis, the founder of Nissin Foods, Momofuku Ando, invented “Chicken Ramen.” Since then, quick cup noodle sales have continued to rise.

At the time, the ability to cook ramen by just adding hot water to a cup was novel. Supposedly, the development of Chicken Ramen required a considerable amount of time and money, and multiple prototypes were made. Upon observing his wife fry tempura, Momofuku Ando was inspired to begin “frying noodles.” They are sold as “Cup Noodles” in several countries throughout the world, where they are consumed by millions of people.

blue LED lights

Nick Holonyak, Jr., an American born in Illinois, invented the red LED in 1962. This marked the beginning of LED history. LEDs belong to the family of semiconductors known as light-emitting diodes. At the time, this LED light could only create a weak, dark red glow. M. George Crawford invented the yellow-green LED in 1972. In 1989, the LED market saw a substantial shift.

Three Japanese researchers developed the blue LED light. This expanded the colour palette available in LED lights and made it possible to utilise these lights to convey a range of emotions by blending the three primary hues (red, blue, and yellow-green). LED lighting is used for a number of purposes, including illumination of rooms and traffic signals.