What Is Your “Ikigai”?
Updated: Jun 10, 2022
Written by: Alejandro J Tornato, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
During this past week, I contemplated very hard on what topic I wanted to share, and nothing was coming to my awareness, until suddenly, a thought guided me to share the content of a couple of books, I recently acquired on a subject that I find quite fascinating, and I hope you, the reader, will also find interesting. From time to time I visit one of the major bookstores in my town because I love to read, books keep me company and with time they become very good friends. I usually browse in the section of “Personal Growth and Development” and see what new titles show up on the shelves.
As I was browsing on one shelf, my eyes saw these two books side by side and I began reading the outside cover on one…it read “Awakening your Ikigai, how the Japanese wake up to joy and purpose every day” by Ken Mogi; and the other one read “Ikigai, giving every day meaning and joy” by Yukari Mitsuhashi.
I instantly knew that I had to buy these books and read them because my curiosity was extremely high, and I couldn’t wait to find out what “Ikigai” really was…and so today I would like to invite you to come with me on an Ikigai discovery journey. I hope you are as excited as I am, and so let’s jump into it.
The word Ikigai is derived from two Japanese words, “Iki” meaning “Life”, and “Gai” meaning “Value” or “Worth”. One author’s definition of the work “Ikigai” is “The Pleasures and Meanings of Life”. The second author defines the word in a slightly different way, “The Value of Life”, or “Happiness in Life”.
Some recent western interpretations of “Ikigai” may seem to explore this idea of finding a meaning to a person’s life as a whole, but that is not really what the word really means. In English, the word “Life” carries the meaning of both “Lifetime” and “Daily Life”, whereas in Japanese there are two different words to describe each.
There are five (5) pillars of Ikigai, and they are:
Starting small
Releasing yourself
Harmony and sustainability
The joy of small things
Being in the here and now
One story that really illustrates what “Ikigai” is, the account of Jiro Ono, who is the oldest living three Michelin star chef at the age of 93. He is the owner of “Sukiyabashi Jiro” sushi restaurant in Tokyo.
From an early age, Jiro Ono started developing a true liking for cooking, preparation of different kinds of dishes; he worked hard from the lowest positions in restaurants, always with a desire to learn and to create. When he opened his first sushi restaurant, his moment-by-moment passion to serve the very best sushi to his customers was always at the top of his priorities. He was not an ordinary chef, but an artist in the kitchen. He developed new tools to cut, and to shape the fish into small works of art. He created a special procedure for providing salmon in a fresh condition throughout the year; and he also invented a procedure in which a certain type of fish meat is smoked with burned rice straw to produce a special flavor. All that dedication took him to open the “Sukiyabashi Jiro” restaurant, considered the world’s best place to eat sushi.
With all this acclaim, and world recognition, that is for sure very well deserved due to the many years of hard work and dedication to master his craft, this is not what makes chef Ono happy, or gives him a reason to get up early every morning.
What indeed gives him his “Ikigai” is the feeling of fulfillment and satisfaction in serving the best tuna fish to a smiling customer or in feeling the chill of the early morning air against his face as he makes his way to the fish market.
“Ikigai” can be found in the very simple things of life, such as drinking and enjoying a cup of coffee early in the morning while reading a book; or even appreciating the aroma of the coffee as it is brewing, percolating throughout the house.
The concept of “Ikigai” is a simple one, with huge ramifications and the potential to help one live and fully appreciate the present moment and not letting those precious moments go by empty without acknowledging them and realizing their beauty.
Before I conclude this writing, I have one question for you:
Have you found your “Ikigai” yet? If yes, how has it made a difference in your life? Are you living from a different place of awareness? Are you enjoying each and every moment fully, making the most of them?
I hope you are because this is what “Ikigai” is all about, a fuller life experiences every day, not just once in a while…
Alejandro J Tornato, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Alejandro J Tornato is the Founder and CEO of "Tornato Speaking, Leadership & Coaching LLC", offering Motivational Keynote Speaking, Leadership Coaching and Personal Growth & Development Training. Alejandro is a powerful and dynamic sought-after International Speaker and Coach Certified through the “Maxwell Leadership Organization”. He is also one of the Founding Directors at "Have The Edge", with a mission to provide the most comprehensive coaching and training programs for business leaders and entrepreneurs. Alejandro's teachings and communication style immediately connect with individuals and groups from all backgrounds. Alejandro is the co-author of "Create Terrific Teams", and the host and producer of both "The Alejandro Tornato Show" and "Have The Edge" Podcasts. Alejandro is a Top Mentor on Wisdom, the world's largest audio mentoring platform.
