Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life.

 

Ikigai is a Japanese concept that means your 'reason for being. ' 'Iki' in Japanese means 'life,' and 'gai' describes value or worth. Your ikigai is your life purpose or your bliss.

In this book, the term ikigai is translated as the bliss of always being busy. Ikigai is actually a combination of your passion, your mission, and your profession. This book answers some basic questions as to why some people keep doing what they have been doing for years tirelessly even though it's the same things over and over again, say, actors, bloggers, artists, writers, Flim makers, and so on. Why do some people never get bored or frustrated repeating doing the same things over and over again?

Now I know this book is overhyped in the market and a lot of us have too high expectations from it. While I think the book is more about answering the basic question which we most of the time overlook. Also, it provides a ten-point compressed rule of ikigai:

1. Stay active; don’t retire.
2. Take it slow.
3. Don’t fill your stomach.
4. Surround yourself with good friends.
5. Get in shape for your next birthday.
6. Smile
7. Reconnect with nature.
8. Give thanks.
9. Live in the moment.
10. Follow your ikigai.

A really interesting little read. Has given me ideas of lots of other things I want to explore this year

The idea of the book is good. I can understand the appeal. And the idea of ikigai is also good in a common sense kind of way.

The structure is a bit of a mess though. It surfs above some areas and goes into so much detail in others, that it hurts the flow of the reading.