Ikigai

The Japanese Concept to the meaning of life

Ikigai Meaning

To start with, what does ikigai mean? As the book “Ikigai” states, “This concept, which translate roughly as ‘happiness of always being busy’ is like logotherapy, but it goes a step beyond.” It is deep in us and finding it must require a patient search. In Okinawa, Japan people don’t retire. There is no word that means retire in Japanese as in English. Always ask yourself what you should be doing. There are five Blue Zones. Blue Zones are geographic regions where people live the longest. These places are: Okinawa, Japan, Sardinia, Italy, Loma Linda, California , The Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica, and Ikaria, Greece. The 80 percent secret is to only eat up to 80 percent. Ikigai is a mix of four parts. The first one is what you love. Your ikigai should not be what you don’t like. The second part is what you are good at for if you are bad at it, you can’t really do much. The third is what the world needs because if the world doesn’t need it then what are you there for? And finally what can you be paid for otherwise, why do want to do it?

Achieving Flow

Next, achieving flow is important to finding your ikigai. Strategy 1 is to choose a difficult task, but make sure it is not too difficult or you will likely give up. Too easy then you will get bored. Challenging makes flow. Strategy 2 is to have a clear concentrated objective. If you have a vague objective, you will be confused doing meaningless tasks. If you have an obsessive desire but ignore the process, you will just focus on the result instead of the process to achieve it. In this case, in order to achieve flow, you must have a clear objective while focusing on the process. Strategy three is to have a distraction free workspace. A distraction-free environments promotes the ability to get things done without distraction. You are not likely to get work done if you are distracted. Sometimes, you end up completely ignoring your work, saying you will do it later, then scramble at the last minute. That is why you need a distraction-free environment.

Healthy Living

Okinawa, Japan is where people’s lifespan is the longest. Their diet is a part of their way to live long. Locals eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. According to the book “Ikigai”, “Okinawans consume, in general, one third as much sugar as the rest of Japan’s population, which means sweets and chocolate are much less a part of their diet.” Okinawans eat tofu, miso, tuna, carrots, goya, kombu, and jasmine tea. Sanpin-cha, as Okinawans call jasmine tea, reduces the risk of heart attacks, relieves stress, and more. As you can see, ikigai affects our everyday lives. It is why we get out of bed. Whether it’s the meaning of ikigai, achieving flow, or living a long happy life.