As we restart June trying to reset those positive 2020 resolutions, there's no better time than now to refocus our energies, and reimagine planning out our hopes and goals for the future in the VUCA + world.
Enter Ikigai, the age-old Japanese ideology that's long been associated with the nation's long life expectancy. A combination of the Japanese words "iki" (生き), which translates to "life," and "gai" (甲斐), which is used to describe value or worth, Ikigai is all about finding joy in life through purpose.
In other words, your Ikigai is what gets you up every morning and keeps you going.
So what exactly is Ikigai?
The origin of the word Ikigai goes back to the Heian period (794 to 1185). Clinical psychologist and avid expert of the Ikigai evolution, Akihiro Hasegawa released a research paper in 2001 where he wrote that the word "gai" comes from the word "kai" which translates to "shell" in Japanese.
During the Heian period, shells were extremely valuable, so the association of value is still inherently seen in this word. It can also be seen in similar Japanese words like hatarakigai, (働きがい) which means the value of work, or yarigai ~ga aru (やり甲斐がある), meaning "it's worth doing it."
Ikigai is what gets you up every morning and keeps you going.
Gai is the key to finding your purpose, or value in life. The best way to really encapsulate the overarching ideology of Ikigai is by looking at the Ikigai diagram which displays the overlapping four main qualities: what you are good at, what the world needs, what you can be paid for, and of course, what you love.
Boiling it down to its most rudimentary theory, it's within the crossover of these intersection points where Ikigai stands.
Why is Ikigai important?
Many sociologists, scientists, and journalists have researched and hypothesized the usefulness and truth behind this particular phenomenon, and they've come to a number of very interesting conclusions. One particular theory is that Ikigai can make you live longer and with more direction.
In September 2017, the popular Japanese TV program Takeshi no katei no igaku partnered with a group of scientists to conduct research in the small town of Kyotango in Kyoto, a place which prides itself in having a population that has three times more residents over the age of 100 compared to the average of the rest of the country.
The program wanted to know what commonalities these elderly happy people had in their daily lives and so followed seven people in their late 90s and early 100s around from morning 'till dawn, doing blood tests and other health check-ups.
What they found interesting was that all seven people had exceptionally high figures of DHEA, a steroid hormone secreted by the adrenal glands that many believe may be the miracle "longevity hormone."
Interestingly enough, as the program followed those men and women around, they found one single thing they all had in common: a hobby they practiced every day that they were really into. One woman in her late 90s was seen spending a few hours everyday carving Japanese traditional masks, another man painted, another went fishing daily.
While the correlation between having a hobby you love and the increase of DHEA is yet to be proven scientifically, the program suggested that having this one thing that keeps you interested, focused, and gives you a sense of satisfaction in life may boost your youth DHEA hormone, thus leading to a longer and happier life.
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If you can find pleasure and satisfaction in what you do and you're good at it, congratulations you have found your Ikigai.
Ikigai is gaining more mainstream traction now, just when people need it, "especially in younger generations looking for more meaning in their lives." In fact, it's currently more popular than ever with younger people both in and outside of Japan.
What's your Ikigai?
"I have improved my morning routine to start my days doing what is most important to me before getting busy with others." In other words, I prioritize the duties that give me purpose. "This means that I have a cup of turmeric lemon tea, do 15 minutes of meditation and yoga each, gardening and then walk my dog for 30 minutes. I then work on writing on the happiness curriculum modules. Before I begin my work day I have dedicated time to my health and one of the key activities that give Ikigai to my life: which is the haptech venture."
Though it may sound career-focused, Ikigai is not always about financial endeavors. Having a hobby that you can dedicate your time to, raising a family, or being able to work and make steps towards diving deep into that passion project you've always fantasized about, are all Ikigai.
Finding your Ikigai
If you're feeling lost or unsure about what your Ikigai is, there are a number of ways to refocus your mind and purpose. "If you find yourself blocked because change is difficult, try adding some new thing to your life: a new hobby, new circle of friends, or a new job on the side,".
Tokyo-based neuroscientist, writer, and broadcaster Ken Mogi argues in his 2017 book, The Little Book of Ikigai: The Essential Japanese Way to Finding Your Purpose in Life, that it doesn't matter whether "you are a cleaner of the famous Shinkansen bullet train, the mother of a newborn child or a Michelin-starred sushi chef' - if you can find pleasure and satisfaction in what you do and you're good at it, congratulations you have found your Ikigai."
If you feel like you're struggling, you should "gain honest awareness of the current status of your life."
Maybe in the rest of 2020, it is the right time to prioritize your pursuit and embrace the larger picture: finding your purpose driven by passion.
As we restart June trying to reset those positive 2020 resolutions, there's no better time than now to refocus our energies, and reimagine planning out our hopes and goals for the future in the VUCA + world.
Enter Ikigai, the age-old Japanese ideology that's long been associated with the nation's long life expectancy. A combination of the Japanese words "iki" (生き), which translates to "life," and "gai" (甲斐), which is used to describe value or worth, Ikigai is all about finding joy in life through purpose.
In other words, your Ikigai is what gets you up every morning and keeps you going.
So what exactly is Ikigai?
The origin of the word Ikigai goes back to the Heian period (794 to 1185). Clinical psychologist and avid expert of the Ikigai evolution, Akihiro Hasegawa released a research paper in 2001 where he wrote that the word "gai" comes from the word "kai" which translates to "shell" in Japanese.
During the Heian period, shells were extremely valuable, so the association of value is still inherently seen in this word. It can also be seen in similar Japanese words like hatarakigai, (働きがい) which means the value of work, or yarigai ~ga aru (やり甲斐がある), meaning "it's worth doing it."
Ikigai is what gets you up every morning and keeps you going.
Gai is the key to finding your purpose, or value in life. The best way to really encapsulate the overarching ideology of Ikigai is by looking at the Ikigai diagram which displays the overlapping four main qualities: what you are good at, what the world needs, what you can be paid for, and of course, what you love.
Boiling it down to its most rudimentary theory, it's within the crossover of these intersection points where Ikigai stands.
Why is Ikigai important?
Many sociologists, scientists, and journalists have researched and hypothesized the usefulness and truth behind this particular phenomenon, and they've come to a number of very interesting conclusions. One particular theory is that Ikigai can make you live longer and with more direction.
In September 2017, the popular Japanese TV program Takeshi no katei no igaku partnered with a group of scientists to conduct research in the small town of Kyotango in Kyoto, a place which prides itself in having a population that has three times more residents over the age of 100 compared to the average of the rest of the country.
The program wanted to know what commonalities these elderly happy people had in their daily lives and so followed seven people in their late 90s and early 100s around from morning 'till dawn, doing blood tests and other health check-ups.
What they found interesting was that all seven people had exceptionally high figures of DHEA, a steroid hormone secreted by the adrenal glands that many believe may be the miracle "longevity hormone."
Interestingly enough, as the program followed those men and women around, they found one single thing they all had in common: a hobby they practiced every day that they were really into. One woman in her late 90s was seen spending a few hours everyday carving Japanese traditional masks, another man painted, another went fishing daily.
While the correlation between having a hobby you love and the increase of DHEA is yet to be proven scientifically, the program suggested that having this one thing that keeps you interested, focused, and gives you a sense of satisfaction in life may boost your youth DHEA hormone, thus leading to a longer and happier life.
If you can find pleasure and satisfaction in what you do and you're good at it, congratulations you have found your Ikigai.
Ikigai is gaining more mainstream traction now, just when people need it, "especially in younger generations looking for more meaning in their lives." In fact, it's currently more popular than ever with younger people both in and outside of Japan.
"I have improved my morning routine to start my days doing what is most important to me before getting busy with others." In other words, I prioritize the duties that give me purpose. "This means that I have a cup of turmeric lemon tea, do 15 minutes of meditation and yoga each, gardening and then walk my dog for 30 minutes. I then work on writing on the happiness curriculum modules. Before I begin my work day I have dedicated time to my health and one of the key activities that give Ikigai to my life: which is the haptech venture."
Though it may sound career-focused, Ikigai is not always about financial endeavors. Having a hobby that you can dedicate your time to, raising a family, or being able to work and make steps towards diving deep into that passion project you've always fantasized about, are all Ikigai.
If you're feeling lost or unsure about what your Ikigai is, there are a number of ways to refocus your mind and purpose. "If you find yourself blocked because change is difficult, try adding some new thing to your life: a new hobby, new circle of friends, or a new job on the side,".
Tokyo-based neuroscientist, writer, and broadcaster Ken Mogi argues in his 2017 book, The Little Book of Ikigai: The Essential Japanese Way to Finding Your Purpose in Life, that it doesn't matter whether "you are a cleaner of the famous Shinkansen bullet train, the mother of a newborn child or a Michelin-starred sushi chef' - if you can find pleasure and satisfaction in what you do and you're good at it, congratulations you have found your Ikigai."
If you feel like you're struggling, you should "gain honest awareness of the current status of your life."
Maybe in the rest of 2020, it is the right time to prioritize your pursuit and embrace the larger picture: finding your purpose driven by passion.
"IN THE DOING IS THE LEARNING" ARIGATOU
DOING IS THE LENG IS THE LEARNING” ARIGATOU
DOING IS THE LENG IS THE LEARNING” ARIGATOU
