Ikigai

I don’t know about you, but I’m always seeking balance. Am I doing too much or not enough? Is what I’m doing calming or creating frenzy? How much time am I spending doing what I love vs. just going through the motions? I am often reminded of a favorite mantra, “Do what you have to do until you can do what you love to do.”

In my search for balance, I found Ikigai, a Japanese concept that means ‘your reason for being.’ ‘Iki’ in Japanese means live or alive, and ‘gai’ describes value or worth. Your ikigai is your life purpose, your bliss. It’s what brings you joy and inspires you to get out of bed each morning – a sense of purpose, a reason for being – something that brings pleasure or fulfilment.

Ikigai consists of four components:
That which you love – Passion and/or Mission
That which you are good at – Passion and/or Profession
That which you can be paid for – Profession and/or Vocation
That which the world needs – Mission and/or Vocation

I like that the components overlap. Are we really ever just one or the other?

Passion is described as a strong feeling or emotion; something you love, something you’d do for free.
What are you passionate about? Who or what brings joy to your life every day?

Mission is a purpose or calling.
What is your calling? Is your calling fueled by your passion?

Profession is a career, a paid occupation typically requiring training or formal education.
Does your passion enhance your profession? How can you blend the two? Are you living to work, or working to live?

Vocation is an occupation regarded as particularly worthy and requiring great dedication.
Does what you do for a living require dedication? Does it bring joy and a sense of fulfillment, or is it merely a means to an end?

What would you do if you knew you would not fail?