Ikigai

Creating & finding your Ikigai is a method that brings you closer to your life’s purpose. On this page you will find a quick introduction of what Ikigai means and how can you can start creating your Ikigai now and how to make it stick and refine it over time.

Ikigai (生き甲斐, pronounced [ikiɡai]) is a Japanese concept that means “a reason for being.” It is similar to the French phrase, raison d’être. Everyone, according to Japanese culture, has an ikigai. Finding it requires a deep and often lengthy search of self. Such a search is important to the cultural belief that discovering one’s ikigai brings satisfaction and meaning to life. For some, it might be work, hobbies, and raising children.

Wikipedia

How to create your Ikigai:

  1. If you already know what you are passionate about, what you love continue with #2 otherwise do the Curiosity & Passion exercise first.
  2. Get 5 sheets of paper & a pen
  3. Set a timer for 3 minutes
    • Take one sheet of paper and answer the following question: “What do you love?“
  4. When the time is over take a new piece of paper, restart the timer and answer the the next questions – Repeat with the other questions:
    • “What does the world need?“
    • “What can you be paid for?“
    • “What are you good at?“
  5. When you answered all 4 questions take the fifth sheet and draw 4 circles that overlap each other like this:
    Ikigai Template
  6. Try to find an activity or goal that answers all 4 question at once. That can be your Ikigai.
  7. You can also use this Ikigai template on Google Draw (download or copy it into your personal Google Drive to edit it).

Ikigai & Life Purpose

If you finished the exercise above. Take your results as an inspiration with you and let it be for some days. Set yourself a date for in 30 days to rework on your Ikigai. You might have gained some new insights over time and want to refine your Ikigai. If you think you’ve found it: Go out and test it.

More Life purpose advice will follow soon on this website and in the 2050 podcast.

Let me know how you liked this exercise and what your result is!
Just send me (Max, your 2050 podcast host) a message here.
If you have any questions or need help with your Ikigai and life purpose feel free to write me too.