This post is a book summary of Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life (Amazon) by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles.
Most people today want happiness and success in their life the meaning of success is also different for people. some people think that earning more money will bring happiness. while Some people think that they will get happiness by achieving their goals. But this does not happen often today we will know about the Japanese secret formula called IKIGAI By adopting this most person in Japan are happy and successful in their life today. with the help of this formula, at the time of the 2nd World War almost finished Japan today included in the top countries of the world.
By finding your IKIGAI and by working on it You can achieve an irreplaceable level. Even technology can’t replace you.
an island in Japan which name is Okinawa. where people lived for more than 100 years. and there person having age 80-90 years, wake up and work every day happily. and Don’t think to get retiring till death. Means in the whole world, A happy and peaceful life is being lived by the people of Okinawa in Japan. Because they used to live their life by using a formula. whose name is IKIGAI. means “Reason for Living“.
Japanese people believe that you came to this world for some special purpose. and purpose is your IKIGAI. This means If you do some work other than your IKIGAI. then you won’t enjoy it. You will be always under stress. and your brain will always be busy finding that purpose. But the good thing is- People living in any part of this world can find their IKIGAI, means their purpose in life.
When you outside to do work after college. Then you have to take a big decision. that what you will do in your life. This decision is very important. because you spent most time of your life in working. So some will say, you do what makes you feel happy, some will say, do what you’re good at. some will say, do in which you get more money. And some will say, do the work that the world needs. But the problem is everybody says to choose only one option in these 4. Which is wrong advice.
IKIGAI is a combination of these 4 parts. and if any one part is missed then what the problems can come to your life, that we will learn with the help of a diagram.
The first circle is “What you love”. Those things come inside this which you like to work. The second circle is “What you are good at”. Those things come inside this which work you can do better. The third is “What you can be paid for”. Those things come inside this for which you get money to work. and last fourth circle is “What the World needs”. Those things come inside, that the world needs.
PASSION
you will get your passion through the combination of the first and the second circle. Means the things you like to do. and you are also good at that. then that work will be your passion.
Example- You like to learn new things and do programming. and you are also very good at that work. Then getting useful knowledge and doing programming is your passion.
PROFESSION
By the intersection of section and third circle. You will get your profession. Means the things you are good at all and you will also get paid for that. Then that work will be your profession.
Example- You made an app by learning some new things. for which you also get paid some money. Then that work is your profession.
VOCATION
From the combination of the third and fourth circles. You will get your Vocation. The things for which you get paid and that things the worlds needs Then the work will be your Vocation. Means the app made by you is best suitable for the world. Then that work is your Vocation.
MISSION
And the last you will get your Mission. Means what the world needs, and the same is your favourite work. Then the reason for doing that work will become your mission.
Example. The app the world needs you also wanted to work on that. Then your choice and the world’s need became your mission.
Find IKIGAI
The problem comes when people tell you to only find your passion. Just finding passion is not enough. Because that is only a part of the IKIGAI. You should find work. That also satisfies all other three components.
For an example- Suppose you like to write a blog. You improved your blogging skill through hard work. and now you become very good at that. and the world learns some new things by reading your blogs. Means the world needs your work. And they pay money for your work. Means blogging satisfies all four components. Means blogging is your IKIGAI.
Your aim should be to find a things that satisfy all the four components Passion, Profession, Vocation, and Mission You will get your IKIGAI, in the middle of these four components.
Means you will get that work. which you like, in which you are good, to which you get paid, and the world need that work. and when all these four things will satisfy. Then you will live a long and stress-free life.
EXAMPLE-
Sachin like to play cricket He became good at that by practising. He also gets paid by playing cricket. and People also like his batting. Means the world needs him. For Sachin, cricket satisfies all four components. Means cricket is IKIGAI for Sachin.
All the popular personalities you know. They had founded their IKIGAI and for that reason they are famous.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO FIND IKIGAI?
Because you can achieve a “Flow State” due to that. Flow State means getting busy in your
work as much that no other things matter. and that Flow State is the power of
Experts, Artists, and Genius personalities. Only because of finding IKIGAI and working on it,
Steve Jobs liked the artists and engineers of Japan. When Steve Jobs visit the Sony factory in 1980. Then he learned many new things from that. and also implement in his company. Even Steve Jobs got the idea to wear a uniform daily from there.
One of the most popular animated studios in the world, The founder and animator of Japan’s studio “Gibli“.
Hayao Miyazaki, get involved in his work this much that he used to work on even Sundays and national holidays. And today after having the age of 81 (2022). He never gets tired of his work. because he has found his IKIGAI. and he works on that.
Japanese chef Jiro Ono, after having the age of 96 (2022). Make the world’s best Sushi dish. because making Sushi is his IKIGAI.
You can achieve an irreplaceable level by finding your IKIGAI and working on it. Even technology can also not replace you.
Whose best example
is Mark Court. who is a Coachline Painter for Rolls Royce? He draws the line by his hand on one of the most expensive cars in the World which is Rolls Royce. Which is a very rare skill. And no one has replaced him till now.
You won’t get your IKIGAI suddenly. Your Intuition and your curiosity will help you to find your IKIGAI. For which you will have to try many different things. And by asking questions
you have to know yourself. and when you will find your IKIGAI. then you will know automatically, that these were the things you were searching for.
These are all things I have learnt from Hector Garcia’s and Francesc Miralles”s book “IKIGAI”.
In this book, many other amazing things are written about the people of Okinawa. that you will like. If you want to read this book. Then click here. And if you don’t have time to read so many awesome books like this.
Then keep reading and keep patience for the book
summary blog like this.
Thank You.
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