The question "What does a human live for?" is perhaps the only question that humanity will never stop asking. The answer of this ancient question is, of course, completely different for everyone, but according to the Japanese philosophy Ikigai (read as ikigai), the most basic thing we need to be happy is a true "goal."
When we say self-improvement books, effective motivational words, meditations and various spiritual teachings, we are all looking for the formula of absolute happiness. However, many of us forget that happiness is hidden in a "real" purpose that satisfies us in every sense. According to the results of the 2017 World Happiness Index, Okinawans, the happiest and longest-lasting people in the world, owe the high quality of life to Ikigai, which we can summarize as a reason to energetically get people out of bed every morning.
We can apply Ikigai thousands of kilometres away from the lush and serene island of Okinawa-Japan in Turkey, can’t we ?
Spread around the world as a Bestseller
The concept of Ikigai, which means “life purpose” in Japanese, is an ancient philosophy born in Okinawa, known as Japan's “island of immortality”. This philosophy, which has been practiced by the people of this geography for hundreds of years and that happiness depends on a purpose that get people out of bed in the mornings, has become a concept frequently mentioned in the world of personal development in recent years. The reason for this popularity was the book Ikigai that is in the international bestseller lists for a long time: Secret of the Long and Happy Life of the Japanese, written by Spanish writers Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles. The book, which was introduced with the phrase "Who does not want to live happily every day?", has been very popular thanks to the Okinawans giving practical tips to find our life routine: Ikigai.
“If you want to die, get retired”
You may get familiar with Japanese who go to work every morning or travel around the world although they are 80 years old. The origin of this behaviour, which the world is envied and admired, is actually nothing but Ikigai philosophy. Okinawan Japanese, who live in accordance with this philosophy, do not believe in retirement. They even use the phrase "retire if you want to die", which is an extremely ambitious motto. Because Ikigai people believe that we should be satisfied both materially and morally while practicing our job; that’s why, we don't actually need concepts like vacation and retirement. Even the Japanese, who cannot choose their favourite profession for any reason never consider it is too late to pursue a new profession or a job. That's why we frequently hear about ambitious grandmothers who learn coding or developing mobile application after the age of 70 as well as athletic grandparents who started nature sports after the age of 80.
How can we find our Ikigai?
It is not necessary to live in a bamboo hut overlooking the lush rice fields in order to apply the principles of Ikigai. Because one's finding his own Ikigai actually starts with looking inside himself and getting to know himself. To find your own Ikigai, you first need to ask yourself the following questions:
- What do I really want to do in my life? Think about your childhood dreams, your instincts and what makes you happy when you think about it.
- What am I passionate or excited about? Think about what you want to see yourself doing when you close your eyes.
- How can I best express myself? Focus on the way of communication that eases you the most.
- What topics do I have skills for? Review your merits that allow you to be appreciated and liked by others.
- What should I do to improve my talent? Plan what you can do to take these talents much further.
- What am I doing when I live the moment forgetting about the rest? Is this something individual or teamwork? Analyse what kind of pursuits are the things for which you forget everything.
