Embracing ikigai
Can following a framework lead to happiness?
I recently finished reading Neil Pasricha’s “The Happiness Equation”, in which he mentions the Japanese tradition of “ikigai”. The rough translation, according to Pasricha, is “the reason you wake up in the morning.” He goes on to cite research conducted by Toshimasa Sone at Tohoku University’s Graduate School of Medicine and their discovery concerning ikigai (which they translate as “sense of life worth living”) and mortality.
Sone and his fellow authors write:
“In Japanese culture, having a sense of “life worth living (ikigai)” is the most commonly used indicator of subjective well-being. The sense of “life worth living (ikigai)” does not merely reflect an individual’s psychological factors (well-being, hopes) but also an individual’s consciousness of the motivation for living, because it has a meaning akin to having a “purpose in life” and “reason for living.” The term ikigai is commonly used in such phrases as “this hobby is what makes my life worth living (ikigai)” or “raising children makes my life worth living (ikigai)”. In the most authoritative dictionary in Japan, the sense of ikigai is described as “joy and a sense of well-being from being alive” and of “realizing the value of being alive”.
The study, which followed a cohort of individuals over several years — some of whom had ikigai and others of whom did not — ends with:
“In conclusion, this population-based prospective, cohort study in Japan demonstrated that the lack of ikigai was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality. This increase was mainly attributable to an increased mortality from CVD [cardiovascular disease] (mainly stroke)and that from external causes.”
Reading both Pasricha’s book and the study convinced me that, perhaps, in addition to a more plant-based diet, I needed to develop ikigai for myself.
Now, I finished “The Happiness Equation” weeks ago, and have been putting off this otherwise simple exercise since then. The fact is, I don’t have trouble getting out of bed. Honestly, I sleep so little as it is, getting out of bed isn’t my problem. The real reason I have procrastinated is that the positive effects of ikigai relate more to mindset than logistics. The real reason I put aside developing my ikigai was because I felt doomed to make the wrong choice.
I know I can change my ikigai whenever I choose, but, if I can do that, what meaning does it really have? So, caught in this defeatist thought spiral, I set aside the exercise and, in the chaos of daily life, promptly forgot about it.
A conversation with a colleague who was looking for examples of manifestos and purpose-development frameworks brought my mind back to ikigai. So much time had passed, however, that the word itself had slipped from my memory. So, a quick tango with Google led me to the word, but also images. The images were a game-changer.
They were frameworks, and, unlike writing life manifestos starting with a blank sheet of paper, I get frameworks.
My favorite of the selection I found is this variation:
Seeing the ikigai as a framework renewed my interest. Seen in this way, it was more of an equation than a statement I’d have to come up with out of the blue. So, here’s my thought pattern going through the framework illustrated above:
That which you love: I love so many things. I love food, good books, writing, great conversations, starting new projects, helping people see their potential. I love time alone and time with friends. I love my family. I love performance and making order from chaos. I love being physically active. I love learning new skills and building new things. I love gardening. I love helping people. Okay, see? This is what I feared. What don’t I love? I should probably look for some trends. There’s clearly an input-output of information trend and one of growing things (plants, knowledge, potential, strength). I love growing my and others’ potential? Okay, I can settle for that … for now.
That at which you are good: This must obviously be based on my perception of self. Given that, I am good at the following: writing and general media production, public speaking/performance, problem-solving and learning new skills. Essentially, I’m good at the “ship it”/delivery part of just about any workflow.
That which the world needs: The hard part about answering this question is that I am drawn to want to make what I believe the world needs align with what I love and with my skills. An honest answer would be that the world is crying out for more programmers and people capable of quantitative analysis. My argument is that, while those people are indeed necessary, so are qualitative people — artists, writers, designers — people like me who can help us see where we might go. Think of science fiction writers and their role in priming society. Ultimately, my belief is that the world needs people willing to make difficult decisions that lead to a growth in human potential and the overall health of the world.
That for which you can be paid: This question is persistently depressing. I can be paid to write and otherwise produce content, to consult on problem-solving opportunities and launch new initiatives. Generally, I can get paid to do what it takes to “ship it”.
Now, let’s jump further in:
That which you love + That at which you are god = Passion
I love growing my and others’ potential + I’m good at the “ship it”/delivery part of the workflow. = Moving things forward that grow my and others’ potential…
That which you love + That which the world needs = Mission
I love growing my and others’ potential + the world needs people willing to make difficult choices in order to grow human potential and overall global health = to make the difficult decisions necessary to grow my and others potential and overall health of the world (Whew! That’s a long one…)
That for which you can be paid + That which the world needs = Profession
I can get paid to do what it takes to “ship it” + the world needs people willing to make difficult choices in order to grow human potential and overall global health = shipping things that help people make difficult decisions that lead to a growth in human potential and the overall health of the world.
That at which you are good + That for which you can be paid = Vocation
I’m good at the “ship it”/delivery part of just about any workflow + I can get paid to do what it takes to “ship it” = I “ship it.”
Okay, I’m close:
Passion + Profession + Vocation + Mission = Ikigai
Moving things forward that grow my and others’ potential… + to make the difficult decisions necessary to grow my and others potential and improve the overall health of the world + shipping things that help people make difficult decisions that lead to a growth in human potential and improve the overall health of the world +I “ship it.” =
I wake up every morning to “ship it”, making difficult decisions that grow human potential and improve the state of the world.
I modified the equation a bit towards the end. It is, after all, my ikigai.
Upon review, my ikigai (as it stands for now) aligns pretty well with how I have seen myself evolve over time even though it is a bit more vague than I would like.
I like to move at a fast pace on projects, operating at points of key decision-making. I don’t enjoy maintenance as much as I enjoy prototyping, trying things and getting to a point of resolution from which a path forward is clear. Once we know where we’re going, I have an urge to move on to the next thing. That’s a preference, of course, not a barrier to the difficult work that comes with maintenance, dedication and consistency.
So, I have ikigai (well, my version anyway), and, yes, it feels much better to have one than not. Here’s hoping I’ve added a few years to my life.
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