This Japanese Philosophy Will Make You Feel More Joyful—Without Organizing Anything
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As we're barreling through life, always feeling like we're running out of time, it can be easy to jump from school to career to family without skipping a beat. As 1980s icon Ferris Bueller said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." Solid advice. But even if you do slow down and spend time trying to figure out what makes you tick, finding fulfillment and happiness in life can be difficult. If you've already Marie Kondo'd your closet, feng shui'd your bedroom, and committed to 75 Hard, there's another philosophy you can try: ikigai.
What Is Ikigai?
Ikigai (pronounced "eye-ka-guy") is a Japanese concept that combines the terms iki, meaning "alive" or "life," and gai, meaning "benefit" or "worth." Taken together, the two words translate roughly as "your life's worth." Ikigai is a philosophy for finding your true purpose, the thing that makes your life worth living. While some people are fulfilled by their career or family, the majority of us are a bit more complicated. A Venn diagram of four main pillars, ikigai considers all aspects of your life and puts you at the center.
Ikigai's Four Main Components
You Love It
No matter what it is, the best way to find more happiness in life is to fill it with things you love. Maybe a shopping for a hot pink sofa brings you joy, or canceling drink plans to do a hot yoga class instead fills your cup. Before you do, buy, or commit to anything, you should be confident that it's something that you love (or could come to love over time).
You're Good at It
We all feel a certain joy in external and internal validation when we're good at something. Ever since elementary school, we've been hardwired to chase the praise and good grades we get only when we've mastered or excelled in a subject.
The World Needs It
This category is less about solving world hunger and more about filling a hole in an industry or community. "World" also doesn't have to mean all seven continents; it can be your block, your school, or even your office building. This domain of ikigai connects most explicitly with other people and doing good for them, thinking beyond your own needs.
You Can Be Paid for It
While this is the age of the side hustle, you should never feel pressured to monetize your hobbies. This domain of ikigai deals more with crafting a career path out of something you enjoy, not what you fill your weekends with. You might be passionate about reading novels or nimble at rock climbing, but that doesn't necessarily mean you can get paid for it. Whether you can get paid for your passions or talents depends on factors such as the economy, demand, and barriers to entry (like getting scouted to play professional sports).
The Intersections of Ikigai
At the intersection of what you love and what you are good at is your passion.
At the intersection of what you love and what the world needs is your mission.
At the intersection of what the world needs and what you can get paid for is your vocation.
At the intersection of what you are good at and what you can get paid for is your profession.
How to Incorporate Ikigai at Home
Despite ikigai being a lifestyle approach, there are plenty of ways to incorporate it into your home decor that don't involve hanging up motivational posters. One of our favorite ways is to optimize your home office to bring you joy (even if it's a small one). Whether that's by getting a new comfortable desk chair, or piling your office shelves with mood-lifting houseplants, ensuring your work zone is a place you actually want to spend time in is the first step in filling in that Venn diagram.
How to Find Your Ikigai
As with any transformational mindset, the goal of ikigai is fulfillment. It could be helpful to fill out the diagram and think about how the pillars overlap for you. You may not be able to fulfill all four, and that's okay. But even a combo of two or three components of ikigai could benefit you immensely.
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