This post is the best yet! Thank you. We all struggle with our purpose sometimes --- when maybe we could be seeking to truly experience the joy of the day to day acts and interactions that define who we are and how we present in this world.
I totally agree, we love to justify our capitalist, large purpose bias by tilting ancient wisdom to align with it. It again shows how our American severing from deep culture and connection to land (replaced with consumerism and productivity) leaves us without a compass with which to align our lives
I feel like we spend a lot of our lives coming back to that internal compass, Sarah. But, first we need to awaken to the fact that we've lost true north to start with, right?
Yes to all this:) Capitalism and western colonisation always corrupts and commercialises everything. I'm so tired of it. I am lucky to have a home in Japan and so live between there and Austrslia. It has completely changed my way of living in the world. I'm mostly grateful that my children are exposed to this alternative set of values. Its beautiful there😍
Thank you for this, I struggle to fit into most of the Venn diagrams other people make, in general, but this one that you've described for ikigai, has the 'bonus' of making people feel worthless. My very small circle, including the pets I've cared for, quietly remind me that I do have purpose and value
Good stuff, as always, Jonathan. But this one really landed. Like you were coming clean, and asking all of us to come clean too, by joining you in this journey of stripping down all the commercialization that is prolific in the West. We love our capitalism. Me along with the others. But sometimes (or all the time) we need to be reminded of the essence of why we're here and what brings us joy.
I get the feeling that the ancient Japanese wisdom can bring us closer to that. And that you and your daughter had some of that rub off on you during your expedition.
Thanks for sharing. Sounds like a beautiful place.
Hi Jonathan, I'm a big fan of you and your work. I'm a Japanese native who lives in Tokyo - and was floored to find out that you were in my neighborhood!! (I live just the next subway stop over from the Yayoi Kusama museum.)
The way that you've described Ikigai really resonated with me and captures well how it is used in the Japanese language. It's a very inclusive word :) So just as you said, it can be either simple things or big things, soulful or monetary, private or public. It's all about what makes your own life worth living, with the "worth" part being completely subjective to and defined by you.
In Japan, I feel the word is used by younger people to express super-enthusiasm and obsession, but by older people with poignancy and humility - as if the speaker of the word has already known loss and disappointment, and has found a joie de vivre in spite of life's setbacks. So it is a heartfelt word to utter. Just my observation!
Thank you for the post and all the beautiful work you are putting into the world!
Ironically, this is a big idea post. But it’s a beautiful repudiation of the constant pressure one feels to be wildly successful. When I think of American values, surely this one is the most bone-deep—our worship of success. The moment anyone makes or does or says something catchy, our natural reaction is to say, “Hey, I bet people would buy that!” Maybe it’s what makes us both great and, sometimes/often, awful. Thank you for clarifying to me that finding one’s ideal product or service offering is not what ikigai is about. At all.
Ha! Sometimes big ideas come in little essays, Courtney. ;-) And, I have that very same inclination. Sometimes it's a good thing, other times, not so much.
This was amazing Jonathan. Thank you so much for sharing it. Thinking my purpose was all the things you mentioned took years from my life in ways too many to list here. I loved every word of this.
Love this and love the deconstruction of the Ven diagram. The deep field photos from Hubble always remind me that I am but a spec of matter in a spec of time; The uniqueness I see in each person remind me that we are all unique, valuable to others and worthy to ourselves. Thanks for your two simple 'nudges' (the words admonition or advice are too strong to be in alignment with the deeper meaning of what you say): Do activities that fill you up; Surround yourself with people you cannot get enough of. These 'nudges' are indeed the occam's razor for a good life. Thank you again.
I was just on a hike in the Azores so this landed right into my heart and body too. Love it, yes to everything. Thank you for doing your thing Jonathan, the world is a better place because you do. ❤️
thanks for your critical look at the Ikigai concept that got so "popular" and "commercialized" in a way. I agree with you - it’s like what you wrote in the subhead: western values (or perspectives) bend simple, beautiful life wisdoms from the east into a commercial flywheel.
I lived for 2 years in Japan (Tokyo) and adore the country, its culture and its lifestyles. So I agree that “we in the west” have the tendency to distort the simple life wisdoms from other cultures, particularly those from east Asia / eastern philosophies.
On the other hand it’s great that we embrace them as we obviously have a bunch of issues with the way we live in the west. I enjoyed reading how you took the Ikigai Venn diagram apart. Let’s Ikigai be ikigai and not press it in some form, diagram or algorithm so we can “work” with it like in a science class.
These days, things that that used to be “normal” and a natural part of life get easily turned into “a thing”, a new revelation… So thanks a lot for bringing Ikigai back down to earth.
This post is the best yet! Thank you. We all struggle with our purpose sometimes --- when maybe we could be seeking to truly experience the joy of the day to day acts and interactions that define who we are and how we present in this world.
Thanks, Melissa! Love your focus on presence here, too.
I totally agree, we love to justify our capitalist, large purpose bias by tilting ancient wisdom to align with it. It again shows how our American severing from deep culture and connection to land (replaced with consumerism and productivity) leaves us without a compass with which to align our lives
I feel like we spend a lot of our lives coming back to that internal compass, Sarah. But, first we need to awaken to the fact that we've lost true north to start with, right?
Absolutely!
Yes to all this:) Capitalism and western colonisation always corrupts and commercialises everything. I'm so tired of it. I am lucky to have a home in Japan and so live between there and Austrslia. It has completely changed my way of living in the world. I'm mostly grateful that my children are exposed to this alternative set of values. Its beautiful there😍
So wonderful that you have a home in Japan, Bernadette. And that you can share the experience with your kids.
Thank you for this, I struggle to fit into most of the Venn diagrams other people make, in general, but this one that you've described for ikigai, has the 'bonus' of making people feel worthless. My very small circle, including the pets I've cared for, quietly remind me that I do have purpose and value
Same, same, Susie. I was never great at fitting into any rigid proclamations either.
Good stuff, as always, Jonathan. But this one really landed. Like you were coming clean, and asking all of us to come clean too, by joining you in this journey of stripping down all the commercialization that is prolific in the West. We love our capitalism. Me along with the others. But sometimes (or all the time) we need to be reminded of the essence of why we're here and what brings us joy.
I get the feeling that the ancient Japanese wisdom can bring us closer to that. And that you and your daughter had some of that rub off on you during your expedition.
Thanks for sharing. Sounds like a beautiful place.
Rex
Yup, we all need to earn a living, and be compensated for certain things, Rex. But sometimes its just the feeling of doing the thing that is enough.
I love this, Jonathan, and wholeheartedly agree that you do not have to be brilliant at something or making money from it for it to have value
Thank you for this post!
I love Japan, too … nice to think of you and your daughter there. Very envious!
Debra x
So true, Debra. Getting paid to do something is a lovely form of value, but it's only one form.
Hi Jonathan, I'm a big fan of you and your work. I'm a Japanese native who lives in Tokyo - and was floored to find out that you were in my neighborhood!! (I live just the next subway stop over from the Yayoi Kusama museum.)
The way that you've described Ikigai really resonated with me and captures well how it is used in the Japanese language. It's a very inclusive word :) So just as you said, it can be either simple things or big things, soulful or monetary, private or public. It's all about what makes your own life worth living, with the "worth" part being completely subjective to and defined by you.
In Japan, I feel the word is used by younger people to express super-enthusiasm and obsession, but by older people with poignancy and humility - as if the speaker of the word has already known loss and disappointment, and has found a joie de vivre in spite of life's setbacks. So it is a heartfelt word to utter. Just my observation!
Thank you for the post and all the beautiful work you are putting into the world!
Oh wow, Samoa. Thanks so much for sharing these insights. So helpful to have your take (and can't believe we were so close!)
Thank you for the reply, Jonathan!!
Ironically, this is a big idea post. But it’s a beautiful repudiation of the constant pressure one feels to be wildly successful. When I think of American values, surely this one is the most bone-deep—our worship of success. The moment anyone makes or does or says something catchy, our natural reaction is to say, “Hey, I bet people would buy that!” Maybe it’s what makes us both great and, sometimes/often, awful. Thank you for clarifying to me that finding one’s ideal product or service offering is not what ikigai is about. At all.
Ha! Sometimes big ideas come in little essays, Courtney. ;-) And, I have that very same inclination. Sometimes it's a good thing, other times, not so much.
This was amazing Jonathan. Thank you so much for sharing it. Thinking my purpose was all the things you mentioned took years from my life in ways too many to list here. I loved every word of this.
Glad it resonated, Linda. I'm with you, it often takes a lot of years to come back to what we've always known mattered most.
Love this and love the deconstruction of the Ven diagram. The deep field photos from Hubble always remind me that I am but a spec of matter in a spec of time; The uniqueness I see in each person remind me that we are all unique, valuable to others and worthy to ourselves. Thanks for your two simple 'nudges' (the words admonition or advice are too strong to be in alignment with the deeper meaning of what you say): Do activities that fill you up; Surround yourself with people you cannot get enough of. These 'nudges' are indeed the occam's razor for a good life. Thank you again.
Love that analogy to the deep field photos from Hubble, Stephan. Zooming out really does add prespective.
My favorite guitarist these days is Ise Mitsue. Look her up in Japan. https://www.instagram.com/isemitsue396?igsh=MWt4eDd2YXB0MDNxdQ==
Thanks for sharing, so fun!
I was just on a hike in the Azores so this landed right into my heart and body too. Love it, yes to everything. Thank you for doing your thing Jonathan, the world is a better place because you do. ❤️
Love that, Marta. I've heard the Azores are gorgeous. And thanks for the kind words.
Reason for being,
appropriated ikigai,
lost in translation.
So much gets lost in translation, Marisol. And, then, if we're lucky, found.
Thank you.
You're welcome, Barb.
thanks for your critical look at the Ikigai concept that got so "popular" and "commercialized" in a way. I agree with you - it’s like what you wrote in the subhead: western values (or perspectives) bend simple, beautiful life wisdoms from the east into a commercial flywheel.
I lived for 2 years in Japan (Tokyo) and adore the country, its culture and its lifestyles. So I agree that “we in the west” have the tendency to distort the simple life wisdoms from other cultures, particularly those from east Asia / eastern philosophies.
On the other hand it’s great that we embrace them as we obviously have a bunch of issues with the way we live in the west. I enjoyed reading how you took the Ikigai Venn diagram apart. Let’s Ikigai be ikigai and not press it in some form, diagram or algorithm so we can “work” with it like in a science class.
These days, things that that used to be “normal” and a natural part of life get easily turned into “a thing”, a new revelation… So thanks a lot for bringing Ikigai back down to earth.
Very cool that you were in Tokyo for two years, Claudia. So much to learn and experience here, half the time just by being and noticing.
You look really happy, JF! Thanks for sharing a peek into your trip!
Happy, I am, Cynthia!