Ikigai and Quality of Life by Design

IKIGAI, according to Buettner, is about making three lists:

Your Values,
Things you like to do, and
Things you are good at.

The cross section of the three lists is your ikigai.

But, knowing your ikigai alone is not enough. Simply put, you need an outlet. Ikigai is “purpose in action,” he says.

Following is an interesting representation of Ikigai.

Most people follow what is on the right (on the screen) hand side (i.e., what the world needs) which is a controversial, confusing and commercial area. Because the “Need” is artificially created by the one on the left (on the screen) hand side in an imbalanced state of mind…thus Need becomes Greed leading to uncertainties, anxieties, delusions, despair, imaginations, anticipations beyond realistic terms, fear, anger etc. In this case life can be miserable (though temporarily appears to be pleasurable), painful and suffering unlimited and it may lead to cardiac arrest or impaired life.

The one on the top (what you love) does not work in the material world as it will make you poor financially (no scope to see hard earned money) though it may make you Pure spiritually. The world may award you a mother or father status and help you live the life with public money. Most of these people work with an anticipation to uplift the one in the bottom category (what you can be paid for). The only beneficiary (mainly spiritually) is the one who follows “what they love”…an emotional one rather than a realistic and stable thought.

The one in the bottom side (what you can be paid for) is nothing but slavery, struggle and survival mechanism only. That’s why the feeling of emptiness. Absolutely a state of mind, ‘knows not what’, yet expresses he knows it all…a state of illusion, unrealistic, imagination, week mind and they are mostly victims of the one on the right hand side.

What we have been trying to promote, propagate, bring awareness on is the one on the left hand side, the best one and a balanced one. That is focus on “what you are good at”. Passionately work on what you are good at and create a value (usually it happens spontaneously and with out much effort) in the market for yourself and to the product/work that you are good at. This realistic or positive passion of yours becomes your profession which will automatically bring you not only satisfaction but also Health and Prosperity as well. Once you become successful, Balance is a must…if not it may lead to Greed and destruction of the self in the first place and then the world around as it is mentioned in the first paragraph.

If you follow any model other than what you are good at, then take it granted that you are very likely to get disappointed, depressed and may even attempt to commit suicide at some point in life. At large, this is the scenario in the current world. People increasingly love to move to and stay for ever in 3rd Quadrant (see below, why?).

Just pursue only that what you are good at and expect nothing in return (renounce the fruits of work/action, but don’t renounce the work altogether) from the world around. I would call this as “Indian Ikigai”. Initially you may find that you are involved in a useless work but with time you will realize that that is the best work where you can contribute 100% tirelessly and therefore there is no scope for retirement.

“Every One is Good at Something. Identify and Nurture it, Earlier the Better”.

Apply the “Logic” at “Psychic” Level

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Longevity:

My great grand mother was 104 (lived in a village, plant based food, Orthodox, Simple life, Passionate in doing what she was good at)

My Grand Father was 92 (lived in a village, plant based food, Orthodox, simple life but more passionate at what he was doing)

My Father was 72 (lived in a village, plant based food, Orthodox, simple life but most passionate at what he was doing. But highly impacted by modern society, expenses and people around).

My Mother was 62 (lived in a village, plant based food, Orthodox, simple life, Passionate in doing what she was good at. But highly impacted by modern society, expenses and people around).

My life, as I feel now, is up to 69-72 (lived in a village for the first phase, traveled across the world in the second phase and in the third phase, now, living in a metropolitan city with full of junk (food, minds, roads etc.) around, plant based food, Orthodox, simple life, Passionate in doing what I am good at. But highly impacted by modern society, expenses and environment around).. It means at the most about two more decades to go. So bear with me some more time :-).

So instead of worrying about longevity, focus on realistic/positive passion. By following this you will feel satisfied in terms of good quality of life in thoughts, words and actions. Moreover, such inner environment of yours may impact epi-genetically and positively the environment and people around (with a possibility of full-filling all the other three types – bottom, top and right in moderation – as well).

You will always see mixture of natures (gunas), minds and actions, so “one-formula-fits-all” does not arise or exist. This boils down to the fact that “Just Follow What Your Are Good At”.

Everything in this world in fact is beyond our control but what is in our control however is the choices we can make. Therefore (learn how to) make the right choices – this is otherwise known as Spirituality. Thoughts with spiritual mind will put you on the path of Generosity.

Always try to stay on left side of the path (1st and 2nd Quadrants only mainly – make your passion your profession), most balanced state of mind and action, that gives you “satisfaction and a sense of life worth living”. May even help prevent a host of diseases including ulcers and may be even cancers.

People increasingly love to move to and stay forever in 3rd Quadrant (to enjoy life with easy public money on one side by some and to exploit weaknesses and world resources by some others).

4th Quadrant is the one that you must always try to avoid (Greed & Destruction Unlimited).

When in 3rd & 4th Quadrant, you may feel excellent & delighted but its about uncertainty and feeling of emptiness

When in 2nd & 1st Quardrant you may feel useless and empty at the beginning, but its about Comfort & Satisfaction.

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“There are lessons to be learned in all cultures about what makes life worth living, and no language has a monopoly on the vocabulary for describing the good life”. Christopher Peterson Ph.D.

God bless