Before You Meditate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . P B R

 

 

Ikigai

. . . is a Japanese concept that loosely translates to “a reason for being.”

 

Some may call this their life’s mission, their reason for getting out of bed in the morning, or raison d’être. In short, ikigai is the answer to those questions that seem to plague most people throughout life. . . What should I do with my life? What would make me happy?

 

According to Japanese culture, your ikigai lies at the center of four interconnecting circles:
  • Mission: What you love
  • Vocation: What the world needs
  • Profession: What you can get paid for
  • Passion: What you’re good at
Each of these elements helps contribute to your happiness; all four are crucial to your “reason for being.” As we all know, your personal happiness relies on much more than simply having a career (Vocation) and getting a paycheck (Profession). Likewise, Mission and Passion aren’t enough to sustain you financially if you don’t know how to turn it into a paying job.

 

In most cases, people know what they’re passionate about, but either assume it’s not a viable career option or don’t know how to go about pursuing it. Knowing your own strengths and weaknesses is a way to find ikigai.

 

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