Ikigai

Ikigai (pronounced “ee-key-guy”) is a Japanese concept that translates to “a reason for being” or “a reason to get up in the morning”. At its core, Ikigai represents the sweet spot where your passions, talents, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for intersect. Think of it as a compass that helps you navigate toward a life of purpose and fulfillment rather than simply drifting through your days.

Recent research highlights the profound impact Ikigai can have on well-being¹. Ikigai is linked to reduced depression, lower risk of mortality, enhanced social connectedness, and greater life satisfaction. This growing body of evidence suggests that finding your Ikigai is not just about purpose but can also significantly improve overall health and quality of life.

Ikigai is often visualized as a Venn diagram with four overlapping circles, each representing a crucial dimension of a purposeful life:

• What You Love - Activities that bring you joy and make time fly by.
• What You’re Good At - Your natural talents and developed skills.
• What the World Needs - How you can contribute to society and make a positive impact.
• What You Can Be Paid For - Activities that can provide financial support.

When elements come together, you’ve found your Ikigai - your path to a meaningful life.

An example of Ikigai can be:

• A Teacher who loves working with children, excels at explaining complex concepts, meets the world’s need for education, and earns a living through teaching.
• A Chef who is passionate about cooking, has developed exceptional culinary skills, satisfies people’s need for nourishing food, and runs a successful restaurant.
• A Nurse who cares deeply about helping others, has strong medical and interpersonal skills, meets the critical need for healthcare, and receives compensation for their work.

Finding your Ikigai is a journey of self-discovery that requires reflection and patience. Here’s a step-by-step approach to help you identify yours:

Begin by exploring each of the four elements separately. You can use some of the helper questions below to spark your imagination.

Once you’ve identified elements in each circle, look for connections and overlaps. You can do it in a few different ways:

• Write down all your answers for each category on a piece of paper divided into four sections.
• Choose a color marker for each category and highlight the items that match with that category.
• Look at your answers mark those that appear in multiple elements.

Pay special attention to anything that appears in multiple elements (circles). The more elements it appears in, the more important it probably is. Use those answers to compose your Ikigai.

Finding your Ikigai isn’t a one-time exercise but an ongoing process of exploration:

1. Try small experiments related to your potential Ikigai areas.
2. Notice which activities energize you and which drain you.
3. Adjust your path based on what you learn through experience.

Don’t pressure yourself to find the “perfect” Ikigai. Start with small steps in promising directions, and your path will become clearer over time.

While your work can be your Ikigai, it absolutely does not have to be. The authentic Japanese concept embraces the idea that your “reason for being” can be found in your hobbies, your family, your community involvement, or your personal passions - entirely separate from how you earn a living.

The pressure to turn every passion into a “side hustle” is a modern, Western phenomenon. Many of the most profound sources of Ikigai are, by their nature, not monetized: caring for a loved one, hiking in nature for personal satisfaction, or playing games with friends. Forcing a beloved hobby to become a source of income can sometimes strip the joy from it.

The idea of having one singular, epic life mission can be intimidating and paralyzing. In truth, your Ikigai can be a collection of many small things. It might be the combination of your love for gardening, your weekly phone call with your sister, and your commitment to your morning walk. It’s the overall texture of a meaningful life, not a single, monolithic goal.

Your Ikigai is meant to evolve with you. What gives you purpose in your 20s may be very different from what fulfills you in your 50s or 80s. As you grow, learn, and experience new things, your values and passions will shift. Your Ikigai is a living concept that should be revisited and allowed to change throughout your life.

The search for Ikigai is a journey, not a test you can fail. It’s perfectly normal to not have a clear answer. The process of exploration itself - trying new things, reflecting on your experiences, and asking questions - is a meaningful activity. Be patient and curious with yourself.

The four-circle diagram is a clear and compelling tool. It feels like ancient wisdom, distilled into a modern, actionable format. But here is a surprising and important piece of its history: the Venn diagram is not originally Japanese, nor was it initially created to represent Ikigai².

The framework was actually conceived in 2011 by a Spanish astrologer and author named Andrés Zuzunaga, created to illustrate his concept of purpose (link). The diagram first appeared in a book in 2012 and was intended to help people find their purpose by reflecting on their passions and talents.

In 2014, a blogger named Marc Winn watched a popular TED Talk by author Dan Buettner about the “Blue Zones” - regions of the world with the highest concentrations of centenarians, including Okinawa in Japan. In his talk, Buettner introduced the concept of Ikigai as a key factor in the Okinawans’ longevity. Inspired, Winn wrote a blog post where he merged Zuzunaga’s purpose diagram with the Japanese word “Ikigai,” simply replacing the word “Purpose” in the center with “Ikigai.” The resulting image went viral, and a Westernized interpretation of Ikigai was born.

This story is a fascinating case study in how Western self-help culture often adopts, simplifies, and reinterprets Eastern philosophical concepts. The addition of the “What you can be paid for” circle is particularly revealing; it reflects a worldview where purpose is deeply intertwined with profession and financial success - a perspective that is central to many Western, capitalist societies but is not a necessary condition of the original Japanese concept.

This doesn’t invalidate the four-circle diagram. It remains a valuable tool for career reflection and life design. However, understanding its origins allows us to see it for what it is: a modern translation of a deeper idea, not the original text. It is a powerful map, but to truly understand Ikigai, we must also learn to use the original compass.

The traditional Japanese understanding of Ikigai is something much quieter, more personal, and more accessible than a single, grand purpose found at the intersection of four demanding life criteria. It is not a destination to be discovered, but rather a state of mind to be cultivated - a way of finding value and joy in the fabric of everyday life.

Mieko Kamiya, a psychiatrist considered the “Mother of Ikigai” for her pioneering research in the 1960s, described it not as a lofty goal, but as a feeling³. Her work, which remains largely untranslated, suggested that Ikigai could be found in something as simple as the feeling of the morning sun on your face, the satisfaction of tending to a garden, or the warmth of sharing a meal with loved ones.

In this authentic sense, Ikigai is a collection of small daily joys, meaningful relationships, and personal passions that, taken together, make life feel worthwhile. It can be your hobby, your family, your connection to nature, or your dedication to a craft. Crucially, it does not have to be your job, and it certainly does not have to be monetized. A person can have a mundane job but find their Ikigai in coaching their child’s sports team, mastering the art of baking sourdough bread, or volunteering in their community.

If the authentic Japanese concept of Ikigai is about cultivating a state of mind rather than finding a single destination, how do we practice it? Japanese neuroscientist and author Ken Mogi offers a beautifully simple and actionable framework based on five core pillars⁴. These pillars provide a practical alternative to the Venn diagram, shifting the focus from grand life-planning to the small, daily habits that foster a sense of purpose and joy.

This pillar is about focusing on the details and taking pride and joy in small, incremental actions. It’s about appreciating the process and committing to doing things well, no matter how minor they seem.

• The Practice: Dedicate yourself to doing one small thing with care and attention each day. This could be making your bed perfectly, preparing a beautiful breakfast, or writing a thoughtful email.
• Inspiration: Think of the legendary sushi master Jiro Ono, who dedicated his entire life to perfecting the art of making a single piece of sushi⁵. His Ikigai wasn’t in becoming world-famous, but in the small, daily pursuit of excellence.
• Try This: Choose one daily routine and elevate it. If you make coffee every morning, focus on the entire process: the smell of the beans, the sound of the grinder, the ritual of pouring the water. Find the joy in doing that one small thing well.

This involves accepting yourself as you are, letting go of the burden of a grandiose ego, and allowing yourself to enter a state of “flow,” where you become so absorbed in an activity that you lose track of time.

• The Practice: Engage in an activity that allows you to enter a state of “flow.” This is a psychological state of complete absorption where your sense of self fades away. It could be painting, playing an instrument, gardening, coding, running, or even washing dishes.
• Inspiration: This pillar is about accepting yourself without judgment. The Japanese proverb junin toiro means “ten people, ten colors,” celebrating the idea that everyone is unique. Release the need to compare yourself to others and simply be yourself.
• Try This: Schedule time for a hobby you love, purely for the joy of it, with no goal of productivity or perfection. Allow yourself to get lost in the process.

This pillar emphasizes the importance of connection. It’s about living in a sustainable relationship with your environment, your community, and the people around you. Your personal desires should not come at the expense of the group’s well-being.

• The Practice: Nurture your connections with people and your environment. A strong sense of community is a cornerstone of the long and purposeful lives seen in places like Okinawa.
• Inspiration: Your individual Ikigai is not pursued in a vacuum. It thrives when it contributes to the well-being of the group. This could be through sharing your skills, offering support to a friend, or participating in a community project.
• Try This: Make a small gesture to strengthen a social bond today. Send a thank-you note, call a family member just to chat, or offer to help a neighbor.

This is the practice of savoring the sensory pleasures of everyday life: the taste of a morning coffee, the warmth of the sun, the sound of laughter. It’s about finding richness in the seemingly mundane.

• The Practice: Practice sensory mindfulness. Throughout your day, consciously notice and savor small moments of pleasure.
• Inspiration: The traditional Japanese tea ceremony is a perfect example of this pillar in action. Every detail - the design of the cup, the temperature of the water, the precise movements - is savored and appreciated.
• Try This: Go on a “joy hunt.” During a five-minute walk, try to spot five small things that bring you pleasure: the color of a flower, the pattern of a leaf, the feeling of a cool breeze, the smile of a stranger.

This pillar is about anchoring yourself in the present moment. Instead of dwelling on the past or worrying about the future, you focus your attention on the experience of right now.

• The Practice: Create small rituals that anchor you in the present moment, especially at the beginning and end of your day.
• Inspiration: Much of our anxiety comes from replaying the past or pre-playing the future. Ikigai is found in the only moment that truly exists: now.
• Try This: Establish a simple morning ritual, like five minutes of quiet stretching or sipping tea by a window before checking your phone. In the evening, try a “digital detox” for the last hour before bed to help your mind settle.

One of the most liberating aspects of the authentic Japanese understanding of Ikigai is that it can be found anywhere. It is not confined to your career or grand, world-changing ambitions. Purpose can be woven into the fabric of your life through hobbies, relationships, community service, and personal growth. This broad perspective frees us from the pressure of finding one perfect goal and opens our eyes to the countless sources of meaning that are already available to us.

• Artists and Craftspeople: Japanese craftsmen, whether making samurai swords or pottery, are often cited as prime examples of Ikigai in action. Their dedication is not just about producing an object, but about the focused, meditative pursuit of perfection and the act of carrying on a tradition. A painter might find their Ikigai not in selling their work, but in the simple act of mixing colors and applying brush to canvas.
• Gardeners and Cooks: The act of cultivating a garden (nurturing life from seed to harvest) is a profound source of Ikigai for many. Similarly, preparing a meal for loved ones, with no expectation of payment, can be a deeply fulfilling daily ritual.
• Musicians and Writers: A musician sharing their soul through their music or a retired librarian writing her memoirs for her family are both living their Ikigai. These pursuits are driven by an intrinsic need for expression and connection, not external validation or financial reward.

• Family Life: The act of raising children, watching them grow, and providing for their well-being is a powerful Ikigai for countless parents and grandparents. For a single mother working two jobs, her children can be the “reason to get up in the morning” that gives her strength and fulfillment amidst exhaustion. For an elderly person, the simple act of spending time with grandchildren can be their primary source of joy and purpose.
• Volunteering and Service: Contributing to the well-being of others is a direct path to a meaningful life. Volunteering can help fulfill the “what the world needs” circle of the Venn diagram, providing a deep sense of purpose that a regular job might lack. Whether it’s helping at a local food bank, mentoring a young person, or participating in a community cleanup, being in service to others connects us to something larger than ourselves.

While Ikigai doesn’t have to be monetized, some individuals find their ultimate fulfillment by successfully merging all four circles of the Western model. Social entrepreneurs, in particular, exemplify this integration. They build businesses where the core mission is to solve a social or environmental problem. For them, what they love (a cause), what they are good at (business skills), what the world needs (a solution), and what they can be paid for are all woven into a single, powerful Ikigai.