what is IKIGAI?
Finding your way, your passion, is not an easy thing. Even when we’re lucky enough to found a favorite field. It takes a lot of time and work to find the specific activities that allow us to fully flourish.
Today, the range of choices and opportunities available to us is greater than ever.
Nevertheless, this apparent freedom can be a source of stress. Especially when we do not have clear indications to guide us in our choices. Especially since we must add to this the injunctions to “be happy”, to “be free” or to “do what we really like”.
The latter are sometimes more constrained and social pressure than a real encouragement to find one’s way…
In order to advance a little in reflection on this subject, we’re going to talk about a Japanese concept, the ikigai.
What is Ikigai?
“Ikigai” is a Japanese word that can be translated as “reason to be/to live”. Psychologist Akihiro Hasegawa popularize this rather old concept in Japan outside the borders of the country.
Ikigai is both what pushes us to get up in the morning, what energizes and motivates us, but also a way of approaching things on a daily basis and enjoying the present moment, whatever the activities that motivates us.
It is therefore a way to exploit its potential and to flourish over time. Finding your ikigai is rarely easy and instantaneous, but extremely rewarding once you have been able to identify it.
It consists of fulfillment through experiences that give meaning to life and that we value. Clearly, this is what drives us to consider that life is worth living.
To better understand what the notion of ikigai covers, I suggest the following diagram:
When we talk about what we can be “paid for”, it is rather what we can be recognized for, valued (recognition).
The notion of mission is linked to the community. Tthe fact of participating in something greater (and not to a mission in the professional sense).
The vocation is a combination of work and well-being, but does not necessarily imply having all the required skills or being able to be paid.
In general, the notion of money and profession have almost no place in ikigai. Since it is a quest for meaning in one’s life, and not a formal search. But of course, in practice, the profession plays an essential role in our societies.
Ikigai is a Japanese concept which is therefore of real interest since it allows you to approach things with a fairly complete reading grid. Obviously, finding fulfillment and activities that “speak” to us is a long-term job, and one that requires time and effort for most of us.