Ikigai: The Reason You Wake Up in the Morning

‘Ikigai (生き甲斐),’ known as the longevity secret of the people of Okinawa, Japan, means “worth of living” or “reason for being.” It’s not grand success, but a small yet powerful force that makes you get out of bed every morning.

In the West, this is visualized and explained as the ‘intersection of four circles.‘

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I. Four Circles Consisting of Ikigai

1. What you LOVE: Tasks you get immersed in and lose track of time, or enjoyable activities you’d do even without pay. (Circle of Passion.)
2. What you are GOOD AT: Tasks you complete more easily and quickly than others—your own innate talents or trained skills. (Circle of Ability.)
3. What the world NEEDS: Tasks that help others or solve problems in society. (Circle of Value.)
4. What you can be PAID FOR: Tasks for which the market pays value for your labor and creativity. (Circle of Survival.)

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II. Where the Circles Meet

• What you love + What you are good at = Passion: Enjoyable and proficient, but difficult to sustain without income.
• What you are good at + What you can be paid for = Profession: Competent and makes money, but you might feel empty.
• What you can be paid for + What the world needs = Vocation: Stable and meaningful, but you might feel anxious if skill is lacking.
• What the world needs + What you love = Mission: Rewarding and enjoyable, but you’ll experience realistic difficulties if assets are lacking.

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III. Finding Your True Ikigai

The exact center point where all four circles overlap is your Ikigai.

Many people think “I’ll be happy if I only do what I love” or believe “Money is the best,” but a life tilted to one side eventually brings the pain of imbalance. Ikigai is the process of finding the ‘point of moderation’ where our inner satisfaction and outer reality are in perfect harmony.

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IV. Start with Small Things

Ikigai doesn’t necessarily have to be a grand career:

• “The joy of brewing delicious coffee for colleagues.”
• “Time spent reading books while making eye contact with children.”
• “The devotion of caring for plants in the garden every morning.”

If these small actions satisfy the four conditions, they can become your wonderful Ikigai.

Conclusion: Draw Your Own Circles

Take out a piece of paper today and draw the four circles. Which circle are you staying in now? Which circle is lacking?

It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just checking in which direction you feel most ‘alive’ when moving is enough. Your Ikigai is not far away; it already exists right where the pleasures you’ve inadvertently repeated and the voice of the world meet.