Back to the drawing board for an ikigai diagram

Merging hatarakigai Venn diagram with ikigai 5 pillars

I used to say this at the beginning of some of my essays; Ikigai, a reason for being, the intersection of what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. 

I need a new sentence to describe it, now I know that was really based on hatarakigai (work worth doing).

Wikipedia has this to say about ikigai;

Ikigai (生き甲斐, lit. 'a reason for being') is a Japanese concept referring to something that gives a person a sense of purpose, a reason for living.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines ikigai as "a motivating force; something or someone that gives a person a sense of purpose or a reason for living". More generally it may refer to something that brings pleasure or fulfilment.

The term compounds two Japanese words: iki (生き, meaning 'life; alive') and kai (甲斐, meaning '(an) effect; (a) result; (a) fruit; (a) worth; (a) use; (a) benefit; (no, little) avail') (sequentially voiced as gai), to arrive at 'a reason for living [being alive]; a meaning for [to] life; what [something that] makes life worth living; a 'raison d'être'.

Before realising that hatarakigai was a more accurate Japanese word to sit at the middle of the ‘purpose Venn diagram’ than ikigai, I had spent quite a bit of time writing about, and drafting methods to work through those four buckets.

It isn’t time wasted, because as I talked about recently, most of us spend SO much time at work it might as well be the only factor for our life's purpose *grinning but also crying inside*

However much the Venn diagram really speaks to me, it isn’t all ikigai is, so I’d love to come up with a new picture I can use as a lodestar illustrative model.

I started sketching and it quickly became messy as below, so I had to draw something a little tiny bit prettier on my iPad to cancel the other out, as above *ahem*

The five categories I definitely want to work in are Ken Mogi’s (neuroscientist, author and generally awesome human being), five foundational elements from his book "The Little Book of Ikigai".

Here’s a summary of Mogi's five pillars of ikigai and their practical implications:

• Starting Small (小さなことから始めよう): This pillar emphasises the importance of valuing the small things in life and taking small steps towards your goals. In practice, this could mean appreciating daily rituals or moments, like savouring your morning coffee, as well as breaking down larger goals into manageable tasks.

• Releasing Yourself (自分を解放しよう): It's about accepting yourself and being mindful of the present moment. Practically, it means letting go of unnecessary stress or self-imposed limitations, focusing on what you can control, and being true to your feelings and desires. For example, pursuing a hobby that brings you joy, regardless of your skill level.

• Harmony and Sustainability (調和と持続可能性): This pillar focuses on living in harmony with others and the environment, contributing to a sustainable society. In practice, it could involve collaborating with others, sharing your knowledge, and making decisions that are not only good for you but also for the broader community and environment.

• The Joy of Little Things (小さな喜び): Appreciating the joy that comes from the little things in life is vital. Practically, this means finding happiness in everyday activities and moments, like enjoying the beauty of nature, the taste of food, or the company of friends and family.

• Being in the Here and Now (今を生きる): This pillar is about focusing on the present, rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. In practice, this could mean practising mindfulness or meditation, being fully engaged in your current activity, and appreciating the current moment.

I will keep playing around with circular models rather than a table I think.  For neatness you could have the Venn diagram in the centre and a band of the five pillars around that, though that probably doesn’t set the right tone for work life balance to have that at the heart!  I could do the literal 5 pillar thing, but again does that set the right overall feeling to have the Venn diagram as if it’s the thing these pillars are holding up? Hmmm

I may be someone who cares about the finer details, but I’m definitely not procrastinating.  As is evidenced by diving into writing this knowing it was always going to be a little messy as I’m thinking aloud.

So yes, not having this overarching diagram figured out doesn’t stop me working on what matters, the underlying practices, prompts and processes that help you work through what ikigai means to you in easy to understand practical steps.  I am still working through both analogue (journalling workbooks, methods and prompts) and digital (GPT based app ideas) ideas in my inbetween times.

I am refining my understanding with everything I learn and read.  I need to get better at distilling that essence into smaller and more interesting to read chunks!

Talking of which I also need to spend a little time working through the different types of audiences I have in mind.  I probably need to split out more effectively different types of content, and there are different places/methods that may be more appropriate that others for different strands, for example;

• Those interested in the process of developing a new product

• Other ikigai researchers

• People looking for practical exercises and advice

• Those a few steps behind on building their personal monopoly hoping to get tips

• GenX women who were hoping to see more about navigating gender imbalance/patriarchy

• and heaps of other topics I’ve hinted about through writing on here!

If you have made it this far, it would be really helpful to hear from you about what you have liked or disliked about my posts so far, or if less scary please describe your key reason for reading my posts… so I can more accurately refine and categorise what I am doing and find ways to make it easier and more accessible for those who are interested in any of this *gestures towards my substack* to receive what is most valuable to them.

My aim in writing here still holds true by the way ;

“I am Sarah, Seeking Ikigai. Seeking a reason for being, sharing learning, finding my people and voice. I want to create resources to help others get there faster than I did. I write to learn, to share, to question and to hopefully build tangible solutions to help others. My site will evolve to add the tools I develop and the writings and vlogs that got me there.”

PS - What a Wonderful World came to mind when I was thinking about a song to encapsulate the feeling of ikigai and it’s five pillars >

Sarah, seeking ikigai xxx