Ikigai: An Art That Helps You Find Your Life Purpose

Ikigai is a Japanese word that translates as “the reason for being” or “the reason we wake up every morning.”

According to the Japanese, we all carry our own ikigai and it is essential to discover and master it. For thus we will have what it takes to overcome difficulties.

Few psychological and existential principles are so fundamental to our daily lives as the one encompassing this term.

Finding meaning in yourself, having reasons to live… it’s the key to keeping despair away. And it’s fundamental to be able to deal with one of the worst evils of our time: depression.

Many of our psychological problems can be improved by finding the ikigai that is sometimes hidden, suppressed and even silenced. It has the power to blow air into our lungs and give us back our will to live.

For example, it is known that in many mood disorders there is marked improvement when the person commits to themselves and just does what he or she likes.

Soon, that pool of positive thoughts and beliefs will act as a buffer, protecting us from suicidal thoughts, limiting beliefs, and fears.

However, we also know that it is not easy to dedicate ourselves to our ikigai, our life purpose.

Hence, the Japanese remind us that we should be like a loyal and energetic warrior who fulfills a very specific purpose: to maintain his integrity and love for life.

Your ikigai only wants one thing: to ‘shake off’ your passivity

Sebastian Marshall is a famous writer who gave us a book several years ago with a very simple title: Ikigai.

The book has had more impact than any other work published on the subject. It also steers clear of some of those chewed-out words and concepts associated with personal growth.

The first lesson to learn is not to pursue the same happiness that others “supposed” have. Most of the time it isn’t real. If we become obsessed with the idea that we should have and do the same as those around us, then we are the same as 99% of the population.

If, on the other hand, we dare to act according to our dreams, desires and life purpose, we will be unique. We will be among that 1% who strive for authentic fulfillment.

And it can only be achieved in one way: leaving our passivity behind and finding ikigai. Once we’ve clarified and defined it, several things will happen.

First, we will be more non-conformist, and that’s a good thing.

Second , we will finally become aware of our own potential to pop.

How do I find my life purpose?

To many of you, this may seem like a funny question. Who doesn’t know what his life purpose is? Well, crazy as it may seem, it’s not always obvious to everyone. In fact, sometimes we have goals, ideals, and objectives that are somewhat distorted or impregnated with values ​​that are not our own.

The pressures of our upbringing, our family and social environment mold us in ways that we don’t always fully know.

From now on, we must stop putting off the needs, pleasures and passions that make us who we are and that can ultimately determine our path. It’s not easy, but we have to do it.

We will now explain how to define your ikigai.

7 keys to shaping your ikigai

Your ikigai is formed by the intersection of four basic aspects: your passion, your vocation, your profession and your mission in life. To clarify each of these important aspects, these strategies will be helpful:

• Stop living on autopilot: ask yourself daily if what you are doing makes you happy.
• Don’t compare yourself to anyone. Don’t try to be like others. You are your own reference point.
• We all have talent. We all have an exceptional ability that sets us apart from others and we should take advantage of this. Make it yours and enjoy it.
• Ikigai is not just a life purpose or an aspiration, it is a way of life that must be felt in the here and now.
• It’s something that energizes us every morning and that translates into things we do every day and want to invest in to get better.

• Living according to our ikigai sometimes means putting a large part of what surrounds us aside. Obviously, it takes courage.
• Ikigai is the opposite of passivity or conformism. It demands everything from you and makes you feel alive, free and full of energy, regardless of your age or physical condition, because it is above all a state of mind…

Finally, if you haven’t found your ikigai yet, don’t worry. Sometimes it will awaken in our life’s journey in such an unmistakable way that there is no turning back.

That’s when you have no choice but to follow it.