Having spent two years in Japan and immersed myself in its culture, I have long been fascinated by the concept of ikigai. I’m sure I’m not the only foreigner who is attracted by it since tons of books have been written by it.
For the uninitiated, It is a Japanese word that means your ‘reason for being’. Japanese people use this concept to help them determine what they want to do with their lives. It is the intersection of four things: what you love, what you are good at, what you can be paid for & what the world needs. The sweet spot, so to speak.
With this prior knowledge in mind, I wasn’t surprised to find ikigai featured when I watched Okinawa being dissected as a Blue Zone (disproportionately high number of people who live a long life) on Netflix. What did catch my attention is the episode on Costa Rica.
Apparently, the Costa Ricans have a phrase called “plan de vida”, which is similar to the Japanese concept of ikigai (life purpose). This helps explain their longevity.
This got me thinking because I relate strongly to the following lyrics from “Everyone’s Free” by Baz Luhrmann:
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life
The most interesting people I know
Didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives
Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't
So, I’m in my 40s and certainly enjoy teaching. But do I consider it my calling? I don’t think so. I mean, there are still other things I hope to do with my life, other aspects of my personality I hope to explore. I don’t think I can be like the typical Japanese or Costa Rican who goes alll in on one particular thing and spends his entire life honing his expertise in that.
I need variety, even if this leads to a less-than-laser-sharp focus that may take some years off life haha.
How about you? Are you the kind who believes that your life is made more meaningful when you think that it amounts to something greater than your own existence?