Book of the week - IKIGAI

The reason you want to get out of your bed each morning.

We’ve brought up the self-help theme this week and Ikigai counts as one of the best recommendations. Here is an excerpt…

Seven conditions for achieving flow ( Going with the flow is important for a healthy life )

i) Knowing what to do
ii) Knowing how to do it
iii) Knowing how well you are doing
iv) Knowing where to go (where navigation is involved)
v) Perceiving significant challenges
vi) Perceiving significant skills
vii) Being free from distractions

Okayyy so, Ikigai defines happiness as a state of mind when you are completely in present, the right now, not worrying about the past nor future, to lose the track of time in the task you are onto.

The concept says you can only achieve this state when you’re in ‘Flow’. That is completely involved in what you’re doing. hence there you have ‘em, 7 points on

How to achieve flow?

Let us look at its Etymology

Ikigai (ee-key-guy) is a Japanese concept that combines the terms iki, meaning “alive” or “life,” and gai, meaning “benefit” or “worth.”

When combined, these terms mean that which gives your life worth, meaning, or purpose.

When such words create meaning for life, stuff is sure to look heavily philosophical, But, Ikigai the book is for all! You don’t have to be a big think head to enjoy it… well yes it has multiple layers allowing different people to dive in at their own pace.

You can choose to experience the depths or take the immediate benefits, Ikigai suites, and benefits all who choose to read it. It’s simply amusing to see and explore life just while reading through it.

What you see above is the Ikigai diagram. You’ll find it in the book with the whole process behind it, YO you have the biggest spoiler here!

This piece of cool-looking geometry is actually supposed to help you unlock your life’s purpose, it’s a guide to understanding your path.

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

“Life is not a problem to be solved. Just remember to have something that keeps you busy doing what you love while being surrounded by the people who love you.”

― Hector Garcia Puigcerver, Ikigai: The Japanese secret to a long and happy life.

Here, with every excerpt you can realize the beauty behind the wordy lines filling pages of Ikigai, Published in 2016 by Authors Francesc Miralles and Hector Garcia; this book is very practical with real steps to flip your world.

To end, I decided on throwing in some random learnings and insights from their Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life.

“Our ikigai is different for all of us, but one thing we have in common is that we are all searching for meaning.”

“simply interacting with others—playing a game, for example—offers new stimuli and helps prevent the depression that can come with solitude.”

“We have to learn to turn off the autopilot that’s steering us in an endless loop. We all know people who snack while talking on the phone or watching the news. You ask them if the omelet they just ate had onion in it, and they can’t tell you,”

“Presented with new information, the brain creates new connections and is revitalized. This is why it is so important to expose yourself to change, even if stepping outside your comfort zone means feeling a bit of anxiety.”

― Hector Garcia Puigcerver, Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life