10 Secrets For Living A Long And Happy Life
Although there is no direct translation, the Japanese word ikigai means living a happy and fulfilling life. It could also be thought of as what motivates and gives your life purpose.
The correct pronunciation of ikigai is ee-kee-guy (not icky-guy or eye-key-guy).
Ikigai was popularised in the west some years ago when a Venn diagram was created that described how to combine one’s passion and purpose with creating value in the world in order to build financial wealth.
“The Japanese word ikigai was popularised in the west some years ago when a Venn diagram was created that described how to combine one’s passion and purpose with creating value in the world in order to build financial wealth.” Tweet This
But to the Japanese, ikigai is much more than material success and making money.
“One’s ikigai may have nothing to do with income. In fact, in a survey of 2,000 Japanese men and women conducted by Central Research Services in 2010, just 31% of recipients considered work as their ikigai. Someone’s value in life can be work – but is certainly not limited to that.” [1]
Ikigai is more a philosophy of life. It is your raison d'être or your reason for being. Finding your ikigai (and you can have more than one) is a lifelong pursuit. Think of it as a continual process that evolves as you age.
Ogimi is a small village in Japan that is recognised as having the highest proportion of elderly people in the country.[2] To try to understand the residents’ life philosophy and longevity secrets, Héctor García and Francesc Miralles interviewed over one hundred of Ogimi’s centenarians and supercentenarians.
This allowed García and Miralles to develop ten rules of ikigai [3]:
1. Stay active; don’t retire.
2. Take it slow.
3. Don’t fill your stomach.
4. Surround yourself with good friends.
5. Get in shape for your next birthday.
6. Smile.
7. Reconnect with nature.
8. Give thanks.
9. Live in the moment.
10. Follow your ikigai.
Making money is not the end, it is a means to an end. But by focusing on your own ikigai, you’ll increase the chances of living a longer, healthier and happier life. And that will make you wealthy in a way that transcends money and material success.
Sources:
[1] https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20170807-ikigai-a-japanese-concept-to-improve-work-and-life
[2] https://www.oki-islandguide.com/specialfeatures/ogimi-village-a-village-of-longevity-set-in-a-beautiful-natural-environment
[3] Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles.