FINDING MEANING
The “IKIGAI” formula often appears as THE solution… What does it entail really?
Everybody speaks of Ikigai these days. While there is no direct English translation, “Ikigai literally consists of iki (to live) and gai (reason).”
The Japanese concept of Ikigai may indeed help people to discover their purpose, their motivation for getting up in the morning. The Western people’s increasing appeal for the Eastern culture, mixed with the search for meaning and higher purpose, may explain this trend.
Based on Western methods, drawn from this Japanese concept, if you are clear about:
what you love,
what you are good at,
ways to monetize your action
ways to answer global and societal challenges…
… Jackpot! You have found your Ikigai.
Principes d'Ikigai - Diagramme
There are only four parameters to play with, and then you can sleep peacefully knowing you have a reason to wake up in the morning.
The theory is smart and attractive:
It is simple and yet holistic
It implies that you can love what you do, be useful to society and, still thrive and prosper
It reinforces the importance of doing activities that energize you and fully immerse you in the pleasure of your creativity (i.e this is called the “flow state”).
That being said, if you are like me and most of my clients, chances are you may not find it that simple to answer these questions above. It may be even difficult to find a proper balance between all these four parameters. The westernized Ikigai method makes me think of some of the consulting solutions that seem practical on paper, but rather complicated to implement by yourself. Or, if you prefer, the magic mirror promise in Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. One reason for this may lie in our Western yearning for efficiency and speedy results.
The IKIGAI Japanese meaning may both disappoint and reassure you
Having lived in Japan, I have always felt a bit perplexed when facing ecstatic enthusiasm for the Ikigai concept. If Japanese culture is very keen on pursuing collective continuous improvement (Kaizen), I rarely saw Japanese colleagues overly obsessed with their personal development and personal contribution to the world through their work. Numbers speak louder than words: In a 2010 survey of 2,000 Japanese men and women, just 31% of participants cited work as their ikigai. Not that significant proportion for the birth place of Ikigai, isn’t it?
Rather than a quick fix for individuals’ meaning and career development, this notion perfectly reflects the Japanese complex, subtle, yet prosaic way of life. Ikigai is calling for a slow life rather than a successful career. This is a very democratic and down to earth concept of life, open to every individual, and disconnected from the Western view of success.
Neuroscientist and best-selling Japanese writer, Ken Mogi, introduces five pillars to help you become your most authentic self:
start small
release yourself
embrace harmony and sustainability
cherish the joy of little things
be in the here and n
“Ikigai resides in the realm of small things (...) “Hanami, when the Japanese admire the blooming of the cherry blossoms every spring, is a prime example. You cannot hold on to the experience (and) and it provides you with fleeting joy.“
In other words, you appreciate what makes life meaningful when you appreciate the experience of the here and now, when you reconnect with Nature and when you release yourself in the bigger ecosystem that surrounds you.
One may then wonder: Is it our calling to be in a state of meditation in our daily lives? To be purposeful, should we avoid the endless cycle of career building and self-development?
Humility, authenticity, and courage open the door to your purpose
To find your purpose, dare to accept who you are with your talents, hopes, fears and areas for development (which don’t all need to be developed!). Being humble enough to understand you are part of a larger ecosystem is a good start. Knowing how to stretch yourself in leveraging your unique strengths and the complementary resources at your disposal is another step.
Own your free will. On this matter, both Western and Japanese definitions converge:
“You cannot and should not blame the environment for a lack of ikigai. After all, it is up to you to find your own ikigai, in your own way.” (Ken Mogi).
“If you do something on purpose, you do it intentionally, not by accident” (Cambridge)
Acknowledge your higher purpose keeps evolving as well as you and your environment. This is a complex system that cannot be solved once for all time. Preserve your ecology and pleasure while pursuing your purpose. Striving to reach your purpose while sacrificing your health, personal relationships and self-esteem may not be rational. Yet, this is what many people do.
My friend Marie would say, “stop believing you are running up the mountain when you are actually running on a treadmill.”
Most importantly, you may want to find a balance in all the important areas of your life to make sure you are living and will live happily, sustainably, and purposefully!
When it comes to your career, rather than being the Head of Strategy, what about being the Operator of your meaningful career? Dare to face the reality on the ground. Focus on who you are now, what world and way of life you want to aim for, and concrete actions you can do to fill the gap. Of course, circumstances may differ from one context to another, but personal intentions should not. Strategies, money, and success should simply be consequences of your personal and internal alignment, not the triggers for your action.
ACTUALIZING YOUR CHANGE
A simple tool
Synthesizing this purpose into a mantra will act as a long-term and evolutive compass, accompanying you along the path you create for yourself.
How and where to start?
It may seem overwhelming and abstract to many people. Here are a few steps that may help to assemble the different pieces of the puzzle. I invite you to hold your judgment, trust your gut feeling and ask yourself:
What are the top 3-5 elements that need to be balanced to make you happy in life?
What are your own deep aspirations for the world in the future? (You may want to draw or write 3-5 attributes that characterize the ideal world you want to live in).
What are my strengths and what should be my role to transform that dream into a reality?
Once done, you may complete this synthesis: “I yearn for a [adjectives] world, in which I can find a balance between [nouns], [nouns], and [nouns]. Toward that goal, my mission is to [verb]. I activate my [nouns of talents] to achieve it.”
Here is an example: “I yearn for a humanist and nature-centered world, where I could reach a fulfilling balance between my well-being, family, work, intellectual discoveries and social connections. Toward that goal, my mission is to act as a catalyst for individual and collective change, so as to position the Purpose as an accelerator of positive impact and serenity. To do so, I activate my vision, creativity, connectedness, and listening skills.”
Whenever facing a new choice, ask yourself:
Is it aligned with my purpose?
Will this choice allow me to find contentment in the here and now?
How can I further balance the essential factors which make me who I am?
A quote
““There is no single optimum way to find ikigai. Each one of us has to seek our own, in the forest of our unique individualities.” ”
Over to you
What is your Mantra?
Do you need someone to help you shine a light on your path to discovering the multiple possibilities that await you? Contact me!