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In Japanese culture, people never really retire. Instead, they continue working as long as their body allows them to.
In Western society, retirement is seen as a new chapter of life, a time when we can finally kick back and enjoy the fruits of a long labour. But doesn't this make our working life seem like a huge chapter we have to slog through? A slow burn until we can kick back and enjoy life?
There isn't a Japanese word for 'retiring' from a profession, as there is in the English language. However, there is the word 'Ikigai' (which doesn't exist in the English language). It roughly translates to 'finding your purpose.'
At the time that Hector Garcia wrote Ikigai in 2017, the Japanese island of Okinawa had the highest number of people living past the age of 100.
Having the longest life expectancy in the world, these people were arguably the 'least stressed population' on the planet. Of course, living on a gorgeous sub-tropical island probably helped bump positivity a bit. Yet they still worked hard past Western retirement age, and they were still subjected to life's curve balls just like everybody else.
Ikigai unpacks these perspectives on life, and bridges the gap between Western-Japanese outlooks on life. It offers some gentle advice about how we can optimise the time we have being alive.
And seeing as we spend a third of our lives at work, Ikigai is certainly applicable to our professional goals, particularly when it comes to running a business.
Put simply, Ikigai means the 'purpose of being.' It's about what gets us out of bed in the morning, what makes us tick, and our unique superpowers.
But what does this mean for our professional lives? And how does this mindset nurture business?
Let's deep dive into Ikigai and explore...
- What is Ikigai really all about?
- What does Ikigai say about our professional lives?
- How finding your 'Ikigai' can nurture your business
- How to find your superpower through 'flow state'
The pillars of purpose
This Japanese concept of Ikigai combines four pillars of 'purpose':
- What you love
- What you're good at
- What the world needs
- What you can be paid for
Finding where these four things intersect is the key to finding purpose in what you do.
And this actually contributes to our overall livelihood and life expectancy.
In short, the authors of Ikigai (Garcia and Miralles) found that the key to leading a happy and long life was a balanced combination of healthy habits.
We all know that a healthy lifestyle and a positive mindset are good for longevity. But how come the Okinawans have the highest life expectancy in the world?
The people of Okinawa...
- Eat only until they are 80% full
- Exercise daily (even if it's just a short, easy walk)
- Have an openminded perspective on life
- Go to work with a purpose, not just for financial gain
- Keep their minds active
- Embrace the present moment instead of dwelling too much on the past or future
- Focus largely on community and helping others, expecting nothing in return
'It turns out that one of the secrets to the happiness of the residents is feeling like part of a community. From an early age they practice teamwork, and so are used to helping one another.'
What really adds to their longevity is embracing each present day, and celebrating their purpose.
So how do we find our superpower? And how do these ideas help to nurture a business?
What does Ikigai mean?
This Japanese concept is about our purpose as a human being. It's about the reason for existing in the first place.
When it comes to our professional lives, it's about doing something that combines what you love, what you're good at, and why you're doing it.
Because for a business to really thrive, it needs a fuel stronger than money-based intention.
Drive isn't always about money. We need to work to earn money, to survive and provide.
But to really exceed and excel, we need more than just money as a driver - it's all about 'why' you're doing what you're doing. It's about finding what makes a business entirely unique. Understanding this can help align our daily grind with our deeper purpose.
What does it mean to work?
Work is more than just a payslip. It's a significant part of our lives, shaping our identities and impacting our well-being.
When work compliments our Ikigai, we get fulfilment and satisfaction. It becomes meaningful. That rewarding feeling of job satisfaction after working hard and reaping the benefits? That's job satisfaction, and putting our professional superpowers to good use.
Ikigai in business is all about stripping back to the bare basics and getting to the underpinning root of 'why' a business started in the first place.
When work aligns with a purpose, it doesn't feel like work. It becomes a source of joy and satisfaction. Strive for a balance where your professional life supports your personal happiness and healthy mindset.
What's the point in thinking about all of this?
In business, understanding your Ikigai can be transformative. Getting back to the 'why' can be a huge driver for growth. Why does your business exist? What makes you passionate about its success?
When your business aligns with a deeper purpose, it becomes more than just a job. It becomes a mission.
Because it will help you overcome hurdles, and those setbacks won't feel like setbacks but rather, opportunities to learn something and do it differently in the future.
Combining these four principles can help:
- Mould the pillars of your business
- Develop your mission statement
- Inform your business policies, processes, and systems
- Help you make decisions about developing your product
- Inform your marketing decisions
The four circles of Ikigai in business
Finding Ikigai at work is about asking:
- What are you good at?
- What do you genuinely love?
- What does the market need?
- How do you extract that value?
Passion: What are you good at?
Consider what other people say about your talents, and what you're good at. Finding your superpower is getting lost in a task that brings you genuine happiness.
Mission: What can you offer the world?
Our mission is what we can offer the world, and how we can help the world by providing unique talents.
Vocation: What industry will pay you to do what you love?
Consider wider circles around the skill you're passionate about, and find a gap where you can slot in and find a solution.
Profession: How can you get paid/make money from doing this?
Envision which profession will allow you to flourish professionally and personally.
And if you've found a profession/business venture which allows you to tap into your flow state, then you've struck gold for your business.
Flow state will help you find your superpower
To find what makes business owners pursue success, finding a 'flow' is crucial.
This is where the real 'getting sh*t done' happens.
Not sure what your strongest personal assets are for your business?
It's the thing that makes time vanish in seconds, where we go 'into the zone', where we skip lunch breaks because we're so engrossed in something. It's about being in the zone where creativity and productivity meet.
“Concentrating on one thing at a time may be the single most important factor in achieving flow.”
This state can help you connect with your strongest talents and skills that you genuinely love doing.
And that's where you find your superpower, and you can use it to power-charge your business.
