In Japan, there is a term – ikigai (pronounced Ick-ee-guy) – which roughly means “reason for being”. It’s been featured in many articles, but just one was in Forbes, which you can read about here, and where I got the diagram/visual below.
I found this fascinating when I was first introduced to it, because it’s more comprehensive than most (similar) diagrams which seem to just try and take into account 2-3 of the circles below, instead of a more full view.
If you were to fill this out – could you do so accurately? Easily? What comes quickly to the front of your mind and what do you have to sit with for a bit?
You might find that you have to do a deeper inventory of yourself in order to figure this out. What are your values? What beliefs do you hold that may or may not actually be TRUTHS but are limiting your ability to move forward?
Taking the time to inventory yourself and (try) to answer some of the questions in this diagram may be a bit of work, but can also lead you to some interesting or surprising results! Don’t deny yourself the pleasure of exploring yourself, your passions or your interests. Curiosity, no matter how “far fetched” the scenario may seem, can possibly lead you to that true Ikigai!
DreamerSD 