This Japanese Secret Is The Key To A Life Full Of Deeper Meaning

Jun 17, 2018 by apost team

The country of Japan has one of the world's oldest average populations. Japanese people, and elders especially, use a concept called ikigai to find motivation for their day. 

Ikigai doesn't have a direct translation into English, but it refers to the concept of having a purpose in life. 

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This concept also has historical roots. The "-gai" comes from the Japanese word "kai", which translates to shell. During the Heian era of Japanese history from 794 to 1185, these shells were very valuable and acted as something that gave life meaning. 

To start with finding your life purpose, or Ikigai, Japanese cultural experts recommend asking yourself a couple of questions and considering them deeply: What can you do to get paid enough to thrive? What can you offer the world? What are your skills? What do you enjoy doing? 

Through these questions, one can find their ikigai which will combine passion, mission, profession, and vocation. By finding this life purpose, Japanese people can avoid feelings of emptiness, dissatisfaction, uselessness, lack of money or wealth, and the sense of uncertainty. 

Finding a balance between skills, money, and job satisfaction is a key tenant in ikigai. But ikigai extends outside of working life. In fact, in a study conducted in 2010 of 2000 Japanese men and women, researchers found that only about 30% of those studied said they found their ikigai through work and their career. 

According to expert Dan Buettner, people live the longest in places where the importance of ikigai is stressed. The Japanese island of Okinawa, for instance, has an incredibly large population of very old citizens, many over 100 years old. Buettner cites their healthy diet and their usage of ikigai as reasons for living such long and healthy lives. 

It isn't enough to just understand ikigai, however, it must be incorporated into daily life. 

How will you find your ikigai? Show this article to your friends who are constantly on the lookout for deeper meaning and purpose. This could just help them!