IKIGAI

Ikigai is the key to a long and happy life in Japanese culture. By taking stock of what brings you joy and how you can serve the wider world, you can define your own personal meaning of ikigai.

4 Key Components of Ikigai

Your ikigai resides at the intersection of multiple factors in your life. These four components are essential to the Japanese concept of ikigai:

1. Mission: While defining your ikigai requires focus on what makes you tick individually as a human being, you also need to look outward to what the world needs, too. A person’s ikigai connects to something greater. Ask yourself how you can contribute to making the world a better place—it’s at least one-fourth of what makes life worth living, according to the general concept of ikigai.

2. Passion: Self-development is as rewarding as it is challenging. To find the true meaning of life for you personally, feeling ikigai (or a sense of joy in fulfilling your purpose) is as essential as any broader duty to the common good. Define what you love to do the most and keep doing it for the rest of your life.

3. Profession: Ikigai means making a real-life difference day in and day out, both personally and professionally. Finding a sense of fulfillment at your job is a core element to building a holistic ikigai. Look for a career that serves the world, sparks your own interest, and brings you joy.

4. Talent: If you can pinpoint what you’re naturally good at, you have yet another core element of your personal ikigai in your grasp. Especially for younger generations, ask what talents you already possess and which you hope to develop. Spending each day doing something you love, that comes easily to you, and helps the wider world might lead you to live a happy and long life.

How to Discover Your Own Ikigai

To discover your own ikigai, it’s important to look within, explore the world around you, and ask what makes life worth living for you personally.