# Ikigai

By [SalamAio](https://paragraph.com/@salamaio) · 2023-01-27

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Ikigai 生き甲斐lit | A reason for being
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[Oxford English Dictionary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_English_Dictionary) defines _ikigai_ as "a motivating force; something or someone that gives a person a sense of purpose or a reason for living". More generally it may refer to something that brings pleasure or fulfilment.

The term [compounds](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compound_\(linguistics\)) two Japanese words: _iki_ ([生き](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E7%94%9F%E3%81%8D), meaning 'life; alive') and _kai_ ([甲斐](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E7%94%B2%E6%96%90), meaning '(an) effect; (a) result; (a) fruit; (a) worth; (a) use; (a) benefit; (no, little) avail') ([sequentially voiced](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rendaku) as _gai_), to arrive at 'a reason for living \[being alive\]; a meaning for \[to\] life; what \[something that\] makes life worth living; a 'raison d'être'.

_Ikigai_ can describe having a sense of purpose in life, as well as being motivated.According to a study by Michiko Kumano, feeling _ikigai_ as described in Japanese usually means the feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment that follows when people pursue their passions.Activities that generate the feeling of _ikigai_ are not forced on an individual; they are perceived as being spontaneous and undertaken willingly, and thus are personal and depend on a person's inner self.

According to psychologist Katsuya Inoue, _ikigai_ is a concept consisting of two aspects: "sources or objects that bring value or meaning to life" and "a feeling that one's life has value or meaning because of the existence of its source or object". Inoue classifies _ikigai_ into three directions – social , non-social , and anti-social _ikigai_ – from a social perspective. _Social_ _ikigai_ refers to _ikigai_ that are accepted by society through volunteer activities and circle activities. An _asocial_ _ikigai_ is an _ikigai_ that is not directly related to society, such as faith or self-discipline. _Anti-social_ _ikigai_ refers to _ikigai_, which is the basic motivation for living through dark emotions, such as the desire to hate someone or something or to continue having a desire for revenge.

[_National Geographic_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Geographic) [Dan Buettner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Buettner) suggested _ikigai_ may be one of the reasons for the longevity of the people of [Okinawa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okinawa). According to Buettner, Okinawans have less desire to [retire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retirement), as people continue to do their favourite job as long as they remain healthy. _Moai_, a close-knit friend group, is also considered an important reason for the people of Okinawa to live long.

In the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, _ikigai_ was thought to be experienced towards either the betterment of society ("subordinating one's own desires to others") or improvement of oneself ("following one's own path").

According to anthropologist [Chikako Ozawa-de Silva](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chikako_Ozawa-de_Silva&action=edit&redlink=1), for an older generation in Japan, their _ikigai_ was to "fit this standard mold of company and family", whereas the younger generation reported their _ikigai_ to be about "dreams of what they might become in the future".

Multiple studies showed that people who do not feel _ikigai_ are more likely to experience cardiovascular diseases. However, there was no evidence of any correlation with development of malignant tumors.

![](https://storage.googleapis.com/papyrus_images/21300b9dac381986006c4d24664d4e10ece4a2be85b8bc2674f4ce55e12bf1a2.png)

**Thx for reading!**

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*Originally published on [SalamAio](https://paragraph.com/@salamaio/ikigai)*