Many of us would have seen the Venn Diagram on the left, from Hector Garcia’s famous book “Ikigai”- the secret to living a long and happy life. The image is a derivation of the Japanese concept of a “Reason of Existence” for a homo-sapien on the planet using four circles of Questions- What we Love, What we can be paid for, What the World Needs and What we are Good at, their intersections whiz Passion, Mission, Vocation and Profession and finally human states of Satisfaction, Delight, Excitement and Comfort meandering through the worldly needs in search of their Ikigai. While the depiction is great and a good rule-book in hindsight for someone who wants to live long and happy on this planet, at the same time it is also a huge information overload for a youngster to start looking for their Ikigai post reading this all time guide book. The reasons can be numerous depending on the perspective, highlighting few of them-
- Any Venn Diagram > 2 circles is an information overload and at first look if we target to solve all four questions, we would end up not solving any of them.
- Undermines the privilege one has to be in a position, where he/she can get to decide to solve for one of the Four Questions. Most of us are stuck at Basic Practical Question — “What can one be paid for” or to rephrase “What can pay our bills”
- The diagram is very result oriented which is delusionally flawed since depending on how and when one discovers these answers, his/her mental/physical state will vary based on the time horizon of aging.
Based on my current journey of 30 years, have tried converting this Venn Diagram into a simple Step by Step Triangle with 4 stages which are discovered at various pitstops of this journey. There is no secret sauce, everyone will have their path depending on the privileges they are born with and responsibilities that come along in their own journey.
What we can be paid for- Find a domain which sells the most, learn through courses/degrees and iterate indefinitely so you are good at it. When one becomes good and is bored, don’t try to find the next big thing. Love the boredom enough to do it 24*7, one will be valued for opinion and will grow up the career ladder. Remember Career is an Union Venn diagram of Work and Passion and one will be always paid for work.
What you love- Before you started reading all books or following news/social media blackholes, you truly loved doing something. Try and Remember that childhood love and note it down in a journal, that’s what you love ( also your partner, spouses and family). Find a daily routine where no matter whether a good or a bad day, you do what you love daily. This builds a self-gratitude cycle and eventually you will reduce downer days or periods.
What we are Good at- Everyone can be Top 0.00001% good at something and the answer is inwards, not in that IPL advertisement selling happiness. While skill is a key factor, the major differentiating factor being good and Great is the Habit of doing it daily, like one’s morning washroom chores. If one doesn’t know what he/she is good at, do 3–4 things for a period of 6 months/1 year. Good habits will sustain at the end and bad habits will phase out after initial 3–4 weeks.
What the World Needs- One isn’t Mahatma Gandhi or Mother Teresa, so even if one doesn’t solve for this step, it’s completely fine. Solving for World Needs should be done only when one is 200% self-aware and confident that no outward opinion will move him. One common dilemma is in between solving for self and solving for everyone but self, this quicksand is the FOMO lingo which has plagued our current Gen Y and Gen Z generation.
There is no physical Ikigai Summit or an intersection of the Venn Diagram or even this Bermuda Triangle, they exist in some metaphysical realm, so any expedition to find the same will always result in misery, so pick and decide your physical world battles.
