Ikigai – A reason for Being

I have noticed that the work ‘Ikigai’ has come up several times in my life recently – be it in workshops, books I have been reading or conversations. So I started to read in to the meaning of the word. I means ‘a Reason for Being’, and indirectly means ‘finding your bliss’. 

I started to think why this had come up in my world so often recently and realised it was no surprise that it had. A lot of the work I do is working with people to find their Purpose, their Identity, their Flow i.e find their Ikigai.

Also recently I have been on retreats that were about discovering my ‘Bliss of Being’ and slowing down in order to reconnect with what fulfils me; showing me how important ikigai is to me.

The focus and fulfilment that comes when you have your ‘ikigai’ means your energy is spent on the appropriate things. As the diagram shows there is harmony between what inspires us, what we love, need, are good at and care for.

When applied at work people’s fulfilment and focus goes up as they are being paid for what they care about, what they are good at and they feel they are adding value.

A small word that means big things and has greatest impact.