Book Review: Ikigai
No one likes getting old, but it is inevitable. The concept of death is a bit grim of course, but not when you bring in relativity.
Imagine this — there’s a sign, far off in the future, with a number on it. And that number represents the age your death. Every year that you live, you advance closer to the sign — because the sign is stationary. So when you reach the sign, theoretically you die. But that’s boring.
Let’s assume, that a rabbit is holding up the sign, and like you, it is also walking into the future.
Suppose, for every 1 year that you live, the rabbit moves forward half a year. After quite a long time then, you will reach the rabbit, and die. However, what if the rabbit started walking at the same pace as us?
So, for every 1 year that you live, the rabbit is also another 1 year ahead of you — this way, you’ll never be able to reach the rabbit — theoretically you’re immortal!
And the pace at which this rabbit moves ahead, of 1 year or more, for every year of your life, is called Ageing’s Escape Velocity — you’ll always be youthful, no matter your age!
This piece is about taking a look at the book, Ikigai, by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles.
So what is this “Ikigai”?
Well, according to the Japanese, our Ikigai, is the reason why we get up everyday in the morning. No, it’s not because you have to go to work, or you have to study for your examinations — those are superficial and very short-lived instances of living your life.
Your Ikigai is your purpose, the reason for your existence.
Many people have already found their Ikigai, while others are still in search of it. But rest assured, its in you — it requires a patient search.
Now the obvious question is — “how do i find my Ikigai?” To start off, you need to find the answers to the four main questions of your life —
- What do you love to do?
- What are you good at?
- What can you be paid for to do?
- What does the world need?
The answers from these 4 questions should give you a list of items, that comprise your passion, your mission, your profession and your vocation. You will see then, a common item in all these four pillars —
Something that you love to do, which you are so good at, that you are paid to do it, and in doing it, you are improving the world.
That, is your Ikigai.
And once you’ve found your Ikigai, it is time to protect it, and live it. If you stay true to your Ikigai, you will have an active mind and a youthful body. There will be no more tension in your thoughts, between what is good for you, and what you want to do.
Remember however, you will not be stress-free, because —
Stress is essential to our survival.
You will not face the bad kind of stress — what we know as distress. However, you will use stress of the good kind — called Eustress, as fuel to push you forward in life, to live your Ikigai.
This book, is far from the conventional self-help books that sound cheesy and aren’t frankly of much help at all. What you read here, barely scratches the world of Ikigai.
From interviews with the longest living people in the world — the extremely youthful centenarians of Japan; to anti-ageing processes and lifestyle choices that will lead you to become a Master of Longevity — this book is a must read.
Priceless life lessons are shared — cultivate good habits, nurture friendships, don’t worry, don’t hurry and be optimistic. All this, and much more, for you to go WOW on.
Ikigai, by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles.
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