Ikigai is a Japanese concept that refers to something which gives a person a sense of purpose. Having read the bestseller, Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to A Long and Happy Life, by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles, I gave the concept a thought and came up with an interpretation.
According to the authors, ikigai gives meaning to life; it is the thing that makes you get out of bed each day in eager anticipation. To elaborate, I would add that it means keeping oneself busy at all times in an activity one enjoys. Some would argue that it simply boils down to earning your livelihood by working hard. But does everyone enjoy their work? Do you work to the best of your ability with the sole aim of achieving excellence in your field?
To lend perspective, here are some examples. At the age of 16, Dhirubhai Ambani had a vision to start a textile trading company and he went on to establish Reliance Industries. Kalpana Chawla having loved the skies persisted to become the first woman of Indian origin to go to space. Narendra Modi, our Prime Minister, envisioned a better India and worked hard to attain his goal. Nick Vujicic, an Australian American man born without limbs, went on to become a swimmer, skydiver and surfer. The list goes on….These exceptional personalities had one thing in common. They had a reason that would not let them sleep at night; they had a dream to fulfil.
These notable people did not have a readymade platform to jumpstart their careers. Dhirubhai, for instance, worked as a gas station attendant and as a clerk in an oil company in Yemen before returning to India. Kalpana was born in Karnal and went to local flying clubs and watched planes with her father. Modi worked at his family-owned tea stall to make ends meet. Vujicic, having being bullied in school even attempted suicide at the age of 10. What makes these personalities remarkable is that they wrote their fate by taking charge of their lives and following their ikigai.
{{/usCountry}}These notable people did not have a readymade platform to jumpstart their careers. Dhirubhai, for instance, worked as a gas station attendant and as a clerk in an oil company in Yemen before returning to India. Kalpana was born in Karnal and went to local flying clubs and watched planes with her father. Modi worked at his family-owned tea stall to make ends meet. Vujicic, having being bullied in school even attempted suicide at the age of 10. What makes these personalities remarkable is that they wrote their fate by taking charge of their lives and following their ikigai.
{{/usCountry}}Being successful is not about earning truckloads of money or achieving overnight fame. It could be as simple as creating a beautiful garden or volunteering at an underprivileged school or learning and mastering a musical instrument. For instance, at the ongoing FIFA World Cup, the Japanese fans at the Qatar stadium decided to clean up the stands even after their team lost to Germany. This deed, which won millions of hearts around the globe, might be their ikigai.
One may ask: What is the benefit of having an ikigai? The answer to this query has been sought after for as long as we exist; for which saints meditate on mountains; and the world struggles each day: Happiness. If we decide to live with a purpose and a will to execute that dream, contentment and happiness are within our reach. ashmeg20@gmail.com
The writer is a Ludhiana-based freelance contributor