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Ikigai: Finding Purpose For People With Multiple Passions
“You should stick to one thing”, a friend told me after I left my fourth job.
I felt so frustrated.
Why can’t I find a nice job like my friends and build a linear career like them? My head spun; going through nano existential crises in between bites of my sandwich while sitting down for lunch with colleagues.
But a decade later, I am glad I persevered into ‘not sticking’ to one thing and finding my own path.
I found an Ikigai book while meandering some streets in Bali (yes, not Japan). But I did go to Japan. Kyoto turned out to be one of the most soul defining moments of my life. And thereafter, my love for Japanese philosophies really began.
Ikigai origins and adaptation
Ikigai is the reason for being and not only its western adaptation of finding a career path or making money.
Iki stands for ‘life’ and ‘gai’ is your ‘worth’ or ‘value’. In essence, how can you better use your skills and talents to serve yourself and your community.
It originates from the island of Okinawa, Japan which has the highest number of people over 100…
