About the purpose of life
In our hyperconnected world, trends are circling the globe faster than ever. The latest lifestyle concept to permeate the design realm is the Japanese ikigai (ee-key-guy). Combining the Japanese words iki, meaning “life,” and gai meaning “value,” ikigai, like hygge and lagom, has no direct equivalent in English but can be translated as “reason for being.” Our ikigai is what fulfills us, what gives us purpose, the reason we wake up in the morning.
Tim Tamashiro, author of the new guide How to Ikigai: Lessons for Finding Happiness and Living Your Life’s Purpose, explains the concept as “a map that can help lead you to a more meaningful life” and gives these directions to finding your ikigai:
Do what you love.
Do what you’re good at.
Do what the world needs.
Do what you can be rewarded for.