ACCORDING to the Japanese, everyone has an Ikigai, the reason for getting up, a term which possibly inspired the penning of the book IKIGAI–The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life which was authored by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles in 2016.
In German concentration camps, as in those that would later be built in Japan and Korea, psychiatrists confirmed that the prisoners with the greatest chance of survival were those who had things they wanted to accomplish outside the camp, those who felt a strong need to get out of there alive. This was true of Victor Frankl, who after being released and successfully developing a school of logotherapy realised he had been the first patient of his own practice.
Frankl had goals to achieve which made him persevere. He arrived at Auschwitz carrying a manuscript that contained all the theories and research he had compiled over the course of his career, ready for publication. When it was confiscated, he felt compelled to write all over again, and that need drove him and gave him life meaning amid the constant horror and doubt of the concentration camp–so much that over the years, and especially when he fell ill with typhus, he would jot down fragments and keywords from the lost work on any scrap of paper he found.
Frankl’s experience in concentration camps could relate to tales of several people, those in politics and leadership such as the late Former South African President Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King just to name but a few. There are many stories of Individuals who rose to prominence after discovering their purpose or their reason for being which could have been adjusted or transformed many times over the years.
The book essentially talks about how the people of Japan are of the strong belief that everyone has an ikigai a reason to jump out of bed each morning and goes at length to explain why this is one of the reasons why Japan and its popular island of Okinawa has one of the world highest populations of centenarians.
It therefore links how having a clearly defined ikigai brings satisfaction, happiness, and meaning to our lives and begins by elaborating on Victor Frankl’s logotherapy–a school of psychotherapy that describes a search for a life's meaning as the central human motivational force.
The book seems to be pointing out that many times in life it is the push factors or turbulent times which births or enables us to identify or discover our ikigai thereby propelling us to a life of meaning and purpose.
I found five key takeaways from the book Ikigai–The Japanese Secrets to a long and healthy life
Finding our ikigai
We should strive to find and follow our ikigai, that passion inside us, a unique talent which in essence will add meaning to our lives and drive us to give the best of ourselves until the very end. For those yet to discover their ikigai, their mission would be to discover it.
Live in the moment
we should live in the moment and stop regretting about the past or fearing about the future and instead focus on the present. Victor Frankl lived in the moment and had to start over his manuscript compilation during his ordeal in concentration camps.
Eat and Live Healthily
we should eat and live healthily, to stay healthier longer, we should eat a little less than our hunger demands and also take daily routine exercises or morning walks to maintain vitality.
Active mind, Youthful body
Both the mind and body are important and the health of one is connected to the other. It has been shown that maintaining an active, adaptable mind is one of the key factors in staying young. Having a youthful mind also drives one towards a healthy lifestyle and will slow the aging process.
We should stay thus active and not retire from things we love. Those who give up the things they love doing and do well lose their purpose in life. It alludes to how the last thing Einstein wrote before closing his eyes forever was a formula that attempted to unite all the forces of the universe in a single theory.
Being mindful of technology, creating a distraction-free environment
Technology is great if we are in control of it. We should not let technology take control of us hence at times we should dedicate either a day or build a routine schedule where we switch off our mobile devices to focus on important tasks such as reading, daily devotions or meditation, and so on.
Victor Frankl was correct to note that “Life is never made unbearable by circumstances but only by lack of meaning and purpose” and the book Ikigai is a daring great read for those on a mission to finding and discovering their purpose.
- Fungayi Antony Sox is a seasoned communications and publishing specialist who has advised and consulted for CEOs, executives, entrepreneurs, youth-focused start-ups, businesses, several institutions, and organisations. For feedback contact him on 0776 030 949, connect with him on LinkedIn on Fungayi Antony Sox, or write to him on [email protected].
