Ikigai

Ikigai is a Japanese idea that means “a reason for being,” or simply, a reason to wake up in the morning.

Everyone has an ikigai. Some people have found theirs, and some are still looking, but everyone has one inside them.

Ikigai is made up of four things:

What you love to do

What you are good at

What helps other people

What you can get paid for

When these things come together, they help you feel happy and give your life meaning.

Some important ideas of ikigai are:

Enjoying the present moment

Spending time with people you care about

Being okay with yourself

Noticing the small, happy moments in life

It’s not quite the same as purpose, which is about finding the big why in life. Ikigai is about finding your daily why, a balance that makes your life feel happy and worth living.