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Did you find your ikigai?
Researcher Dan Buettner, with the support of National Geographic, spent five years conducting research to identify and study special places on earth, which he called “blue zones”. These are some areas where there is an increased concentration of centenarians. In the course of this work, scientists tried to identify those patterns of nutrition, culture, behavior that allow local residents to live much longer than in other countries.
One of these places is located on the small island of Okinawa. In Japan, a fairly high percentage of centenarians, but their concentration in Okinawa exceeds all limits. The average life expectancy here for men is 88 years, for women - 92 years. Yes, the local set of products consists mainly of fish, seafood, vegetables and fruits, yes, physical activity and Eastern spiritual practices are very common here, but there is a very special phenomenon that distinguishes this area from the rest of Japan and the whole world. They call it ikigai.
A woman died in a small Japanese town. At some point, she felt her soul leaving her body, ascending upwards and appearing before the spirits of her ancestors. A loud voice asked her, "Who are you?"
"I'm the mayor's wife," she replied.
“I am not asking who your husband is. Tell me, who are you?
“I am a mother of four children. I'm a school teacher.""
“Did I ask you how many children you have or where you work? ?
And it continued until she said, "I'm the one who wakes up every day to help her family and teach the kids at school."
She then returned to her body and the illness receded. She found her ikigai.
What is ikigai?
The Japanese concept of ikigai is quite difficult to unambiguously translate into Russian, but it can roughly be deciphered as “what gives life meaning, what makes us wake up every morning with joy.” In other words, ikigai is an oriental elegant and compact definition of your main interest, the business that brings joy to your life.
Although the Japanese of Okinawa have managed to make this concept part of their philosophy, it is not that ikigai is completely unknown in the West. We have met his followers many times, especially among those who have achieved a lot in their lives.
We could hardly wait until morning to get back to work. Wilbur Wright, inventor of the airplane
Do only what you love most. This will definitely lead you to success!
Every morning I looked at myself in the mirror and said, If today was the last day of my life, would I want to do what I do today? And if the answer for many days in a row was no, then I need to change something. Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple
Pooh! When you wake up in the morning," said Piglet at last, "what is the first thing you say to yourself?
What do we have for breakfast? said Pooh. - What do you say, Piglet?
“I’m like, ‘I wonder what’s going to be interesting today?’” said Piglet.
Piglet, just a pig.
Okay, Piglet may not be the greatest piglet, but there is a good definition of ikigai in his words. It is the interest in life, the desire to immediately start their work and perform it in the best way gives people a sense of their own worth, a sense of satisfaction and meaning of life. Those people who know their ikigai are unfamiliar with depression, they remain optimistic about life and are not subject to destructive habits. Therefore, for anyone who wants to live a long and meaningful life, it is important to find a reason to get up in the morning.
How do you find your ikigai?
Opening your main business will probably require a significant investment of time and energy. You will have to make a meaningful and important decision, and it is a pity that many people realize the need for it too late. The sooner you start searching for your ikigai, the sooner you will begin to feel calm and content with your life. Here are some questions that will help you in your search.
- Achievements. What achievements in your life do you consider the most valuable? Take a piece of paper and write down 2-3 things you are really proud of. This can be a good starting point for finding your ikigai.
- Knowledge. What is your special knowledge and skills? What do you consider yourself an expert at? What are you happy to talk about, on what topic do you read literature? Which websites do you visit most often in your free time?
- Feelings. Work in the field in which you understand, is the key to career success. If you want to be happy, do what you love. Your ikigai doesn’t care much about your business success unless it’s backed up by joy in your heart. This is what we need to pay attention to first.
- Self-esteem. Where do you see yourself in your dreams? Are you a teacher, a lawyer, a mother, a scientist, a book publisher, a farmer? Perhaps it is your assessment of your future that can become the lens that will help focus all your efforts.
- Personality. There are no identical people in the world, and completely different types of work are suitable for different individuals. Knowing your personality type, you will understand why some activities bring you great pleasure, while others do not touch a single string of your soul.
You can use ikigai and a special map that shows that your main business is located at the intersection of what you want most and what is best.
And I want to finish this article with another quote from a man who can be absolutely sure that he not only found his calling, but also followed it all his life.
You have to find what you love. Finding your favorite job is just as important as your loved one. Work will occupy a very large part of your life and the only way to get real satisfaction from work is to do it perfectly, knowing it. The only way to do your job well is to love it. If you haven’t found your favorite business yet, keep looking. Don't stop looking until you find it. As with everything else in your heart, you’ll know you’ve found what you’re looking for. And as with any great relationship, your passion for work will only increase over time. So look and don't rest until you find it.
P.S. And remember, just by changing your consciousness – together we change the world!
Source: www.psychology-age.ru/2015/07/blog-post_24.html
One of these places is located on the small island of Okinawa. In Japan, a fairly high percentage of centenarians, but their concentration in Okinawa exceeds all limits. The average life expectancy here for men is 88 years, for women - 92 years. Yes, the local set of products consists mainly of fish, seafood, vegetables and fruits, yes, physical activity and Eastern spiritual practices are very common here, but there is a very special phenomenon that distinguishes this area from the rest of Japan and the whole world. They call it ikigai.
A woman died in a small Japanese town. At some point, she felt her soul leaving her body, ascending upwards and appearing before the spirits of her ancestors. A loud voice asked her, "Who are you?"
"I'm the mayor's wife," she replied.
“I am not asking who your husband is. Tell me, who are you?
“I am a mother of four children. I'm a school teacher.""
“Did I ask you how many children you have or where you work? ?
And it continued until she said, "I'm the one who wakes up every day to help her family and teach the kids at school."
She then returned to her body and the illness receded. She found her ikigai.
What is ikigai?
The Japanese concept of ikigai is quite difficult to unambiguously translate into Russian, but it can roughly be deciphered as “what gives life meaning, what makes us wake up every morning with joy.” In other words, ikigai is an oriental elegant and compact definition of your main interest, the business that brings joy to your life.
Although the Japanese of Okinawa have managed to make this concept part of their philosophy, it is not that ikigai is completely unknown in the West. We have met his followers many times, especially among those who have achieved a lot in their lives.
We could hardly wait until morning to get back to work. Wilbur Wright, inventor of the airplane
Do only what you love most. This will definitely lead you to success!
Every morning I looked at myself in the mirror and said, If today was the last day of my life, would I want to do what I do today? And if the answer for many days in a row was no, then I need to change something. Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple
Pooh! When you wake up in the morning," said Piglet at last, "what is the first thing you say to yourself?
What do we have for breakfast? said Pooh. - What do you say, Piglet?
“I’m like, ‘I wonder what’s going to be interesting today?’” said Piglet.
Piglet, just a pig.
Okay, Piglet may not be the greatest piglet, but there is a good definition of ikigai in his words. It is the interest in life, the desire to immediately start their work and perform it in the best way gives people a sense of their own worth, a sense of satisfaction and meaning of life. Those people who know their ikigai are unfamiliar with depression, they remain optimistic about life and are not subject to destructive habits. Therefore, for anyone who wants to live a long and meaningful life, it is important to find a reason to get up in the morning.
How do you find your ikigai?
Opening your main business will probably require a significant investment of time and energy. You will have to make a meaningful and important decision, and it is a pity that many people realize the need for it too late. The sooner you start searching for your ikigai, the sooner you will begin to feel calm and content with your life. Here are some questions that will help you in your search.
- Achievements. What achievements in your life do you consider the most valuable? Take a piece of paper and write down 2-3 things you are really proud of. This can be a good starting point for finding your ikigai.
- Knowledge. What is your special knowledge and skills? What do you consider yourself an expert at? What are you happy to talk about, on what topic do you read literature? Which websites do you visit most often in your free time?
- Feelings. Work in the field in which you understand, is the key to career success. If you want to be happy, do what you love. Your ikigai doesn’t care much about your business success unless it’s backed up by joy in your heart. This is what we need to pay attention to first.
- Self-esteem. Where do you see yourself in your dreams? Are you a teacher, a lawyer, a mother, a scientist, a book publisher, a farmer? Perhaps it is your assessment of your future that can become the lens that will help focus all your efforts.
- Personality. There are no identical people in the world, and completely different types of work are suitable for different individuals. Knowing your personality type, you will understand why some activities bring you great pleasure, while others do not touch a single string of your soul.
You can use ikigai and a special map that shows that your main business is located at the intersection of what you want most and what is best.
And I want to finish this article with another quote from a man who can be absolutely sure that he not only found his calling, but also followed it all his life.
You have to find what you love. Finding your favorite job is just as important as your loved one. Work will occupy a very large part of your life and the only way to get real satisfaction from work is to do it perfectly, knowing it. The only way to do your job well is to love it. If you haven’t found your favorite business yet, keep looking. Don't stop looking until you find it. As with everything else in your heart, you’ll know you’ve found what you’re looking for. And as with any great relationship, your passion for work will only increase over time. So look and don't rest until you find it.
P.S. And remember, just by changing your consciousness – together we change the world!
Source: www.psychology-age.ru/2015/07/blog-post_24.html
