IKIGAI | A Japanese Philosophy for Finding Purpose

The Japanese invented a philosophy named Ikigai, which stands for ‘reason for being’, Ikigai can help us to determine what it is, that we want to wake up for in the morning.

Cuts, voice, footage, script by Einzelgänger. I used creative commons (links below) and some material from Storyblocks (links available upon request).

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#ikigai #purpose #selfrealization

[Csdw_coyote]

What the world needs is for this type of content to be taught in schools everywhere.

[susanb]

IKIGAI: Something we're good at, that we love to do, that the world needs, that we can get paid for.

[mitthrawnuruodo]

One of the problems I’ve had in life is that I allowed myself to be told my society to do things I wasn’t meant to do in order to succeed. It took me 7 months of stress, anxiety, borderline depression to finally realize and accept who I am. I’m different from others, and their methods are not in alignment with who I am and that’s ok! I know what I’m meant to do, finally, and I won’t settle for anything else, now my current goal is getting myself out of the situation I carelessly put myself in. Stay blessed brothers and sisters!🙏

[MrDosonhai]

- What is my purpose?
- You pass butter.

[TheOfficialCaseMade]

I had a job that I absolutely hated for years; I was good at it, I was helping people that sometimes really needed it, and I made decent money. I was working 6 days a week with no holidays but Christmas and Thanksgiving, worked my birthdays, no overtime, no sick time, one vacation in six years (I got called every day asking when I would be back and why I left), and basically on call for everything the alcoholic, drug addicted, womanizing, gambling owner wanted (not limited to beer runs, grocery shopping, escorting his women to and from hotels, and covering his tracks from other women) and when I wouldn't be his personal slave, I would be guilt tripped, gas lighted, or reminded that HE was "the f*cking boss, called the shots, and I do what he says"... I convinced myself that it was normal, justified his actions because he was my step dad at the time, treated the business as my own because it was willed to me, and hid the looming reality of misery behind shiny new toys and alcohol.

I remember thinking 'If I got into a really bad car accident, I could probably get a week or two off of work', and finally realized how out of hand things have gotten.

I luckily ended up getting fired (over the phone, because I had plans and couldn't come in two hours after closing) and taking the next few years off. I met someone, bought a van, we live in it and travel together now.

I've been working at a local grocery store, in one of my most favorite small towns, as a meat cutter. I make 25% less money, work almost half as many hours, and enjoy my job exponentially more; The work environment is peaceful, my coworkers are kind, the customers are almost all friendly, and most of the people I meet are like minded. The job is easy, I get a lot of satisfaction from some of my tasks, and my current supervisor is extremely supportive, kind, and always makes me feel valued.

Even on my days off, I usually go into work just to hang out and talk with people, because I like it there. To some people, I am just a butcher in the middle of nowhere making minimum wage, but I genuinely love my job and the people I work with, and that is good enough for me.

Keep your heads up, folks, and don't let any situation or any person make you feel trapped or less valuable than you really are. Sometimes a means to an end is the means to a new beginning better than you ever thought possible.

[jukes]

Something we're good at = Stoic
Something we love to do = Taoist
Something the world needs = Buddhist
Something we can get paid for = Realist

Japanese philosophy is some of the most holistic and genuine in the world.

[YangSuiSan]

A girl in a motivation video once said "Having purpose is when you're able to do what's meaningful to you". It kinda got me thinking when I heard it, maybe it helps someone else.

[kunal_chand]

Dude u read minds. Few days back literally i wanted someone to put light on this topic. U have Amazing narrating skills.

[Webbie]

“The world should need it and we have to get paid.”

Lol yeah, that’s generally the problem.

[sreyapillai]

I decided to read Ikigai after seeing the Venn diagram being widely circulated. After all, I felt that if I could get a tool kit for happier, longer life, why not grab it? But as I delved into the book, especially the interviews conducted by the author with the centenarians in Okinawa, I felt the Japanese experience of Ikigai was unnecessarily complicated to create a Venn diagram out of it.
I read that the people in the island where the study was conducted had different things that kept them going, for example: Taking care of one’s vegetable garden, going to the market, talking to people, waving to school kids, chatting with best friend over a cup of tea, participating in games and communal activities and so on. It is these activities that gave their life a purpose, not anything too complicated to comprehend.
I genuinely felt, as it was with my own case, that the Venn diagram is unattainable for a large majority. This may itself lead to the feelings of lack of purpose in life. A better way is to find the small joys in life which you may be ignoring in the pursuit of larger stuff. Reading the book may open up more perspectives of understanding the concept of Ikigai.

[anneboll]

IKIGAI
(n.) The reason for being;
a reason to wake up each morning.

[threethrushes]

At 43, I have realised that it is far more important how one is, rather than what particular path you should take.

In the long run, if someone is conscientious, hard-working, honest, trust-worthy, cooperative, eventually you will find people who will recognise and reciprocate those values.

Unfortunately, you will also cross paths with people who will, given the chance, abuse your qualities, and act in bad faith.

Marcus Aurelius had some thoughts on how to deal with this.

[tklcpkp]

The idea that got under my skin: "The secret lies in aligning our own nature with the nature of our environment". I got it, thanks ;)

[jamesdunkerson]

One of the most important things you mention is at the end, where this state changes with time. I find time and again that a common flaw in Western thinking is that we believe that things will always continue pretty much as they are, when the reality is that circumstances are constantly changing, and we are constantly changing. What compounds it is that the rate of change is not constant over time, and is not constant across the 4 areas you mention. Coming to grips with change is one of the most challenging things for Westerners.

[eparkerv]

I love cutting hair. I love bringing a person up in the 20 minutes or so in my chair. I love working with my hands, and laughing.

[JohnM...]

When you wake up every morning, excited to do a particular thing, that thing is your ikigai, you're 'raison d'etre.'

[timothyvandebilt]

Dear Einzelganger, Just wanted to reachout and Thank you for creating all of these videos. Kind regards and keep walking the path brother.

[ujjwalbhatt]

Yesterday one of my friends asked me to get him a book about ikigai and I was like what cinnamon toast is this and today you came up with this topic. What a coincidence. Now I'm gonna share this video with him.

[sarahmclin]

I absolutely adore your content! Thank you for sharing so much information with us for free

[chuckyb]

"Do what you love?"

I don't even know what I anymore.