What is Ikigai ? Ikigai helps people find meaning in life, encourages them to pursue what they are passionate about, and what is valuable to themselves and society. Discovering Ikigai not only helps individuals have a happier, more balanced life, but also brings satisfaction and motivation at work. So how to find your own Ikigai? Let's find out with 1C Vietnam!

1. What is Ikigai?

In Japanese, “Iki” means life, while “gai” represents results or values. When combined, Ikigai means “reason for living,” referring to the things that motivate and inspire us every day.

In terms of career, Ikigai is the ideal intersection of four important factors: what you love, what you are good at, what generates income, and what society needs. This is the balance that helps each individual achieve satisfaction and happiness in work.

2. The Origin of Ikigai

The philosophy of Ikigai originated in the Heian period (794-1185) in Japan and was extensively researched by Professor Akihiro Hasegawa. While researching "What is Ikigai," Hasegawa discovered that the word "kai" in Ikigai comes from the Japanese word for "shell" or "shellfish" (貝). During the Heian period, shells were precious items, often decorated by sophisticated artists and used in a shell-matching game called "kai-awase" (貝合わせ). Only the wealthy could own these beautiful shells, leading to the association of "kai" with value and benefit.

3. The Importance of Ikigai

Ikigai is an important concept in Japanese culture and is increasingly recognized globally. The appeal of Ikigai lies in helping each person find the purpose of life, thereby achieving complete satisfaction and happiness in life.

So what are the benefits of Ikigai? Here are 5 benefits that Ikigai brings to each individual:

• Finding the purpose of life: Ikigai helps people realize the meaning of their lives by focusing on areas that they are passionate about and have abilities in, thereby motivating themselves to develop themselves.
• Bring satisfaction and happiness: When identifying Ikigai, each person will have a clear life goal, helping them feel more satisfied and happier with their daily life.
• Reduce stress and pressure: When pursuing jobs that you are passionate about, people will feel more relaxed and less stressed than when doing jobs that are not to their liking.
• Increased work performance: When working in a field they love, people will work with more enthusiasm and energy, thereby improving performance and achieving better results.
• Creating value for society: Ikigai not only brings meaning to individuals but also helps them contribute to society, promoting the overall development of the community.

Ikigai is the key to a meaningful, fulfilling and valuable life for both individuals and society. Managers can also apply Ikigai to maintain motivation for employees and improve employee performance.

4. Elements that make up Ikigai

Once you understand what Ikigai is , many people want to start their journey to find their own Ikigai? To do this, each individual needs to clearly identify the four important factors below:

4.1 Passion (What You Love)

Passion is what brings you joy and energy. It could be activities like sailing, writing poetry, hiking, singing, studying philosophy, or simply spending time with family and friends. The important thing is to focus on what you love without worrying about whether you are good at it, whether anyone needs it, or whether it will bring in money.

4.2 Expertise (What You're Good At)

Once a person has identified their passion, they need to figure out what skills they do best. These are the unique abilities that can help them do a job better than others. Skills can be divided into two categories: technical skills and soft skills.

• Professional skills are academic knowledge in a certain field such as languages, Marketing, IT,... that can be accumulated from work, courses or internships.
• Soft skills are about how you interact and work with others, often based on personality and personal qualities, which are harder to define but are very important to each individual.

4.3 Mission (What the World Needs)

Mission is what an individual can contribute to the world, whether it is all of humanity or just a small community. This is where Ikigai connects directly with others, helping to bring value and create positive change for them. By understanding the needs of the world, individuals will find ways to make what they do better for society.

4.4 Career (What You Can Be Paid For)

Although money is not the core of Ikigai, identifying jobs that can generate income is indispensable in the real world. Combining passion and expertise with jobs that can generate income, each individual will be more motivated to develop themselves and their career. Researching current and future career trends will help make clear decisions and plans to achieve financial goals.

The journey to find Ikigai will help each individual achieve a balance between passion, expertise, mission and finances, thereby bringing a more complete and meaningful life.

5. The process of identifying the 4 main elements of Ikigai

The first step to finding your Ikigai – your life purpose and motivation – is to conduct a self-assessment. This requires a deep understanding of what you love, what you are good at, what society needs, and what you can earn money from. Here are the specific steps to conduct a self-assessment.

5.1 Step 1: Self-assessment

• What do you like?

• In your current job, ask yourself: Do you feel passionate and excited about your work? Are you emotionally connected to what you are doing?
• If you have a hobby or side hustle, assess yourself: Do you feel more passionate and interested in it than other activities?

• Good at what?

• At work, do you easily handle tasks and receive compliments from others? Do you want to become an expert in your current field?
• With a hobby or side hustle, is your talent appreciated by others? Is there a chance of further advancement in that field?

• What does the world need?

• Is the work or hobby socially valued and in long-term demand? Does it address major economic, social, or environmental issues?

• What can I get paid for?

• Does the job or hobby provide a steady income and have a healthy level of competition? If the answer is “yes,” you’re on the right track. If not, dig deeper to continue identifying your ikigai.

Conclusion: If the majority of the answers are “yes”, you may have found your niche. If not, you need to continue exploring to find your true Ikigai.

5.2 Step 2: Brainstorm and research

Take some time to imagine your ideal day from start to finish, then write it down to help you define your Ikigai and your meaning in life. Next, review your “no” answers and find ways to refine your mission by linking it to what you love, are good at, what the world needs, and what you can earn money from.

For example, if you don't feel emotionally connected to your job, you may need to change your approach or career goals. Focus on finding your Ikigai, and don't let fear or doubt get in the way of your self-discovery.

5.3 Step 3: Confirmation and evaluation

The next step to determining what Ikigai is is to engage in learning, research, or hire a coach to verify that the vision matches reality.

For example, you may want to be a wedding photographer, but after actually working, you may realize this job is not suitable. Or you may intend to start a vintage fashion business, but after researching, you realize you don't want to manage inventory.

If your vision matches your reality, you may have found your Ikigai. If not, keep experimenting with other jobs or hobbies. You can try many activities such as baking, programming, drawing or designing to find what really suits you.

Note that Ikigai does not mean loving every aspect of your career, but rather being willing to accept the imperfect parts, as long as it still fits your passion, earning potential, and social needs.

6. The secret to effectively identifying Ikigai

To effectively identify what Ikigai is , don't miss the following tips:

6.1 Start from the smallest things

Instead of worrying too much about perfection, focus on discovering new things and achieving higher efficiency. Each individual should start with small and modest steps, then gradually move towards the goal with hard work, patience and attention to detail. Even if opportunities and conditions are limited, do not give up but persevere and be determined with what you are doing.

6.2 Liberate your ego

The next important thing in the journey to find Ikigai is to learn to trust and confidently live true to one's own nature. When feeling satisfied with oneself, each individual will easily express their personal identity in both work and life. Letting go of the personal ego will help individuals focus on the values that are truly important, instead of following the opinions of the majority just to receive praise.

6.3 Find happiness in simple things

Taking pleasure in the little things can bring new energy and motivation to your work. If you work full-time in a company but have hobbies like painting or pottery, take time on the weekends or after work to pursue these passions. The enjoyment from your favorite activities will gradually help you discover and find your own Ikigai.

6.4 Aiming for a balanced and long-lasting life

Besides material ambitions and career goals to pursue, around us there is also nature, society, where there are people both familiar and strange. When knowing how to appreciate and harmonize with nature as well as the surrounding relationships, each individual will gradually realize the "compass" that leads them to Ikigai - the true purpose of life.

6.5 Experience and enjoy the present moment to the fullest

Each individual should always focus on the present instead of worrying about the future or regretting the past to live more calmly and peacefully. By spending precious time and trying to do the best in each present moment, each individual will gradually find their Ikigai.

Thus, the article has explained what Ikigai is , the factors that form it and how to identify each individual's Ikigai. The journey to discover Ikigai requires patience and effort, but this will bring balance, happiness and clear goals in each day. With 1C Vietnam, understanding Ikigai not only helps individuals develop but also helps businesses maximize their potential, bringing sustainable value to the organization and society. If you have any questions about the above topic, please contact 1C Vietnam for answers.