What's my rub with Ikigai? #17

Want more ~gai in your life, try this...

I zoomed in to a fascinating talk this week on a favourite topic of mine, happiness. 

Who knew happiness was so complex

The session considered the complexity of happiness (yes, who knew) and the continued evolution of many of the Happiness Theories¹ as we learn more about the brain and behavioural science.  Jon,² the presenter, posited that happiness comes from the interplay of three forms of happiness:

• Eudaimonic - the feeling or sense of having a purpose, a ‘why’,

• Hedonic – the feeling of pleasure in the here and now, most closely associated with ‘Subjective Wellbeing’³

• Chaironic – feeling part of something that is bigger than oneself, a sense of awe.

This led on to a discussion about Ikigai. Or, at least the Western interpretation of this beautiful Japanese word, finding purpose. This is a model you are probably familiar with, but just in case: 

The thing is, attaining the Ikigai sweet spot is an incredibly high bar: 

• What you Love,

• The world Needs,

• What you are Good at and

• Can get Paid for.

Blimey.  That’s a big ask for most of us.  And what is getting paid all about? What has that got to do with finding happiness, purpose or the thing you love?

How the western interpretation is wrong

After the session, a passionate exponent of ‘truth’⁴ sent me a link to a video by James Stuber which explained the flaw in the Ikigai Venn Diagram. It turns out Marc Winn, a business coach, tweaked the Purpose Venn Diagram for a 2014 blog, replacing the word Purpose for Ikigai. And so the westernised version was born.   

Ken Mogi, a Japanese neuroscientist, explains that in Japan, Ikigai is not just work focussed.  It is a spectrum. It is not an intersection.  It can be many things.  Ken’s explanation sums it up far better than I can:

There are many ways to define Ikigai. One way to put it is to say that Ikigai is the reason you get up in the morning. It could be something very small like having a cup of coffee and a chocolate. And something that makes your day go on. That is Ikigai.....

On the other hand – Ikigai can be a life-defining, very big goal, like going to Mars or winning the Nobel Prize or becoming the Prime Minister of a country. So Ikigai can be something small or something big. So in a nutshell, Ikigai is a spectrum. And the complexity of Ikigai actually reflects the complexity of life itself.

Looks like the familiar Ikigai Venn diagram falls into that bucket of ‘all models are wrong but some are useful’. 

5 things you can do to find more gai⁵

My research found that there are a number of interpretations of Ikigai, even in Japan. I’ve never been to Japan and know little about Japanese culture but Ken’s book “The Little Book of Ikigai” offers 5 pillars of Ikigai as a framework to happiness:

• Start small – savour the small things in your life – a cup of coffee, walking the dog as the sun rises, being outside, peanut butter…

• Release yourself – be honest to your true self, not worrying about the opinion of others (will you like this blog being a case in point 😊)

• Practice harmony and sustainability – with those you come into contact with in life, understanding and appreciating we are all different, and have different life experiences

• The joy of the little things – it could be listening to your favourite song, reading a book, watching Goggle Box…

• Being in the here and now – notice, be present, get child like.

All of these things contribute to Ikigai – a life of balance and health. And happiness.

What’s appealing about this reframe to me is its accessibility.  It’s break with our western obsession of perfection, finding purpose, of doing more, of ‘smashing it’, of comparing ourselves to others.  It turns out I’m doing Ikigai right here, right now, just writing, drinking my black americano, glancing out of my window to my unkempt but green and lush back yard and looking forward to meeting friends for lunch, and dinner. 

How about you?

How about you.  What’s your Ikigai today? What are you doing, feeling, appreciating? 

Do drop me a line, I’d love to hear from you.  Share your ikigai love.

Until next week my friends,

Ruth x

ps I am not immune to the thought that my attempt to clarify the meaning of Ikigai may be a further bastardisation or appropriation of the term. If so, I apologise :-)

pps If you enjoy my musings, please do share,❤️like or comment - it helps grow my readers, which is always a thrill, and, dare I say, adds to my sense of ikigai…thank you.

1. Happiness Theories such as Set Point Theory and the Hedonic Treadmill

2. Jon Dunckley

3. ‘Subjective Wellbeing’ - - defined as ‘people’s cognitive and affective evaluations of their lives’ (Diener, Diener and Diener 2009)

4. Thank you to Paul Claireaux

5. The Japanese suffix ~gai means all things that have value or worth