What’s your Ikigai? And how to Ikigai?

In a TED Talk, Tim Tamashiro delights us with the Japanese secret to Happiness. It was such a pleasure listening to Tim. He says it takes work to find your Ikigai. First, let us understand what is Ikigai. Before that how to pronounce it? It is pronounced as Eeky-guy. You lift your cheeks like you are smiling and say Eeki-guy, he says.

C’mon, say “Ikigai”. That’s Good.

Tim was a Jazz musician who finally found that his Ikigai is “to delight people” and he does that perfectly well. If you don’t believe me, go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk-PcJS2QaU

Ikigai, he says, is like a treasure map. It can help you find your way to finding wonderful things about yourself that you can share with the world and the world will say “Thank you” for it, he said.

He says, Work is different from Job. A Job is something that you do as a regular form of employment where you get money to pay for your house, food and things like that. On the other hand, Work is something that you do to achieve a result, something like a product or a purpose, he says.

Ikigai comes from Okinawa, where the world’s most 100 year olds live.

Iki = Life

gai = Purpose

Ikigai = Life’s Purpose

Ikigai’s Directions:

Do what you love
Do what you are good at
Do what the world needs
Do what you can be rewarded for

It is the intersection of the above four items.

Best Wishes to you for finding your Ikigai!!