Читать книгу How to Ikigai - Tim Tamashiro - Страница 11

Welcome to the concept of Ikigai, your life’s worth. Ikigai is “the reason you get out of bed in the morning.” It’s what you do, every day, that’s meaningful to you and to others. You might not understand what your Ikigai is right now, but this book is here to help you figure it out.

The first thing you need to know is that Ikigai is a word and concept that comes from Okinawa, Japan. To pronounce the word correctly the first thing you must do is smile. Lift your cheeks in a bright grin and start with the sound EE, as in we or free. The Japanese pronounce the letter i as EE. Since there are three i’s in Ikigai, then to pronounce the word properly, you say EE-kee-guy (with a smile).

The second thing you need to know is that your Ikigai is within reach. This book is intended to help you shine a spotlight on your Ikigai. Once you zoom in on what you’re good at, and what you love to do, your Ikigai will begin to offer you rewards. You’ll get out of bed every day with a clear understanding of why you got out of bed in the first place.

In addition to its being your purpose—the reason you get out of bed in the morning—Ikigai is a map. When you practice your purpose, you are also following a map that can lead you to discovering your gifts. Once you discover your gifts, every day that you practice your Ikigai, you will also become more in tune with these gifts. You’ll find yourself sharing them often and others will reward you for doing it. Ikigai is a map that travels in a circle of gifts.

When I was hired to be a radio host at CBC Radio 2, little did I know that I would find a dozen chances each day to feel the full circle of gifts that come from Ikigai. On the surface, the job description was to research the songs that would be played on each night’s broadcast and to share details with the listeners. I was pleased to learn that being a radio host was much more than that. I got twelve chances to tell meaningful one-minute stories on each show.

The job of a radio host is to be a companion to the listener. 90 percent of the people that listen to the radio are tuning in by themselves. They are driving a vehicle or listening through headphones on their smartphones as they ride on a train or bus. Some listeners could be at home doing the dishes or working on a project in the wood shop. My job was to make the spaces between the songs as meaningful as, or more meaningful than, the songs.

CBC provides wonderful support for radio hosts. I worked with trusted producers and two radio coaches. Early in my training, the coaches taught me that there are only four kinds of stories to tell on the radio. They cited radio coaching expert Valerie Geller, sharing that “head, heart, pocketbook, and transformation” radio stories would be the focus of the narratives I would tell. The stories I would write and share each day would make the listeners think and feel. I would tell stories that could provide information about financial security. I would also tell stories of full transformations that began with “once upon a time” and ended with “they lived happily ever after.”

The coaches inspired me to find tales that would matter to the listeners. The stories needed to be meaningful. I worked very hard each day to find ones that related to the songs, the artists, and the songwriters. When I found a story, I would have to figure out a way to understand why it felt meaningful to me. Did it share facts or an emotion? My challenge was to write each story and to deliver it on the radio so that it delighted the audience.

I worked very hard at researching, writing, and delivering the stories every day. Then one day, a thick envelope arrived in the mail. It was a from a man named Gerry who lived in a tiny town called Estevan, Saskatchewan. Inside the envelope, I found a handmade cardboard card and a small stack of photographs and photocopies. Gerry was an avid gardener and a former jazz musician. He was writing to tell me how much he enjoyed the radio show each night. Gerry also sent along photos of blossoms in his garden. He had Oscar Peterson roses and he had set up speakers outside, so he could listen to jazz all day long as he tended his flowers. Gerry had sent me the most wonderful gift. He showed that the music and the stories mattered to him every day.

Many more listeners would share their own stories of the delight they found in the radio show I hosted. I sent delight out each show through the radio waves, and the listeners sent delight back to me in return.

Figuring out your life’s purpose may feel like a daunting task. Where do you start? Is there science that supports ‘life purpose’? What steps do you take, and how do you know you’re on the right path? These are all overwhelming questions that keep people from even beginning the Ikigai journey. Instead, people tend to default to the beliefs that society and institutionalized education have peddled to us for years because they are what is safe and familiar.

We’ve been told that when you get a good education, you get a good job, and then you live a good life. But there is more. Follow the Ikigai map and you will see for yourself.

The Ikigai map has four simple directions to follow:

1.Do what you love

2.Do what you’re good at

3.Do what the world needs

4.Do what you can be rewarded for

These directions are deceptively simple, but they take work to understand and put into action. The good news is that the work you put into following these directions will result in immediate rewards.

Ikigai comes in two parts. They are half Ikigai and full Ikigai. Half Ikigai focuses on you: What do you love and what are you good at? Full Ikigai shows you the full cycle of Ikigai: seeing how doing what you love, and what you’re good at, provides for the world and flows rewards back to you. As soon as you commit to your half Ikigai, you will begin to see benefits. Your half Ikigai will bring you clearer understanding of yourself and you can begin your work.

Eventually, you will begin to understand that Ikigai is more enjoyable when you share it with the world. That’s when magic starts to happen. You’ll be on the path to realizing your full Ikigai, and your work will be as easy to do as following a star in the sky.

The Story of Ikigai

Ikigai is an idea that comes from the people on the tiny islands of Okinawa, Japan. If you were to look at a world globe, you would find Okinawa equal distances away from the southern tip of Japan and the east coast of China. To find Okinawa on a globe, make sure you have a magnifying glass handy. The islands are microscopic. They look as small as grains of salt.

Okinawa seems an impossible place for people to live and thrive. It’s tiny. It’s incredibly hot. Some might even believe that the islands are inhospitable. Yet many have called Okinawa home for tens of thousands of years. Today, almost one-and-a-half million people live in Okinawa Prefecture.

Even though Ikigai has been a concept for over a thousand years

(from the Heian period, 794–1185 CE), only the Okinawans and a

few Japanese outside of the islands have been the lucky beneficiaries of its lessons.

Originally, Ikigai started out as another word: ikikai, or “life shell.”

In the waters surrounding Okinawa, or Ryukyu, as it was known in the Heian period, there was something special living and growing below the water’s surface. Ryukyu was the keeper of its own special sunken treasure. On the ocean floor lay oysters with beautiful red thorny shells, or kai. These shells were so beautiful and rare that people throughout Asia wanted to own and wear them as jewelry. The shells were as valuable as gems.

The red thorny shells were found on the ocean floor surrounding Ryukyu. They were part of the daily harvest of seafood in Ryukyu, gathered by the Ama. Ama are female divers renowned for their ability to dive deep down to gather shellfish and other treasures from the sea bed.

The Ama of Ryukyu would gather on the shores in the early morning hours when the ocean was calm. If the waters were clear, they were able to see deep and far into the water. With their hair tied back, and dressed in only a white loincloth, the Ama would swim out into the ocean, pulling a large wooden bucket along with them. When they had swum out deep enough, they’d hold onto the side of the floating bucket and dip their faces into the water looking for bounty below. When something grabbed their interest, they’d dive down as deep as sixty feet to push over rocks and poke around the coral with sticks.

If they were lucky, they’d find a red thorny oyster. They’d grab the oyster and return to the surface, where they’d plunk it in their floating bucket.

Ama start their training as young girls and continue to dive into their old age. Diving is something they are good at and that they love to do. They gather food and red thorny shells (kai) for others to enjoy, and they get paid well to do it. Ama share a sisterhood with their daily get-togethers. They talk about what’s going on around their town. They gossip and giggle before and after they dive. These incredible women were early embracers of the benefits of Ikigai.

The waters have always been cold, but the Ama believe that the job was tailor-made for women. They believe that they enjoy an extra layer of fat that keeps them warm. The men can’t handle the cold the way the Ama do. In addition, over the centuries, the Ama have developed the ability to hold their breath for up to two minutes at a time. As they make their way to the surface, they breathe out with a haunting whistling sound made deep in their throats. Ama were like mermaids who helped feed the people while they earned a living doing what they love.

Ama are still working in the same traditional way today in Japan and Korea. They still gather at dawn. They still gossip and giggle. They still dive without the aid of scuba gear. Ama are the very essence of Ikigai.

Thanks to the Ama. the shells were a valuable part of the Ryukyu economy. Eventually ikikai then morphed into meaning more than life shell. Ikikai became Ikigai. Ikigai then is made up of two words: iki translates to life, gai means worth. Ikigai = life’s worth.

The Okinawans and Japanese believe in Ikigai. In fact, the Japanese are well-known practitioners of the art of mastery in whatever they pursue. This means doing what they love, doing what they’re good at, doing what the world needs, and doing what they can be rewarded for. This is a practice that has inspired masters in a wide variety of Japanese careers. Ikigai is part of a balanced life that is productive and enjoyable.

Masaaki Hiroi is an elderly Japanese man with a joyful face and smiling eyes. Each day, he sits on a short stool in his workshop, making spinning tops. He is a fourth-generation toy maker whose greatest hope is to make tops that will make people laugh.

Mr. Hiroi loves to make things. He’s made tops that power little wooden personalities for over fifty years. One of his toys is a plump lady with an umbrella over her head. As you spin the umbrella her arm moves in a dainty, whimsical manner as if she is powdering her face in a hurry. In her other hand she holds a mirror. She is a busy lady with no time for fuss or muss. Her powder will restore the glow of her youth.

Another toy depicts a happy man- eating ramen. He holds the noodles in a large wad with a pair of chopsticks. As the top spins above the little man, he lifts his noodles gleefully up and down from his mouth. As his mouth opens up, his pink tongue twirls around as if he is in ramen-tasting bliss.

Yet another top shows a rotund little person staring into space with large tired eyes. This toy has two movements: As it holds a tiny ice cream cone to its mouth, a tiny red tongue sticks out repeatedly in a licking gesture. In its other hand, the toy waves a minuscule Japanese fan.

Masaaki spends his waking and dreaming hours thinking about his wooden spinning tops. He crafts them on a small lathe in his workshop, surrounded by wood filings, paint brushes, and trays of supplies stacked randomly throughout his small space. His workspace is a little room in his house. Dust fills the air of the workshop like pollen. There is an open window that brings in fresh air right next to his workbench. This is his happy place. He makes objects that deliver happiness. He is the Mister Geppetto of Japan.

Master Masaaki has no blueprints. His mind, and hands, guide his creations. Throughout the day, he carves and sands. He grinds and balances metal rods to incorporate into the tops. He paints his characters sparingly with primary colors. He gives them the faces of playful characters you would find at a city market on a Sunday afternoon. At the end of the day, Mr. Hiroi will have crafted a toy purely from his imagination. Whatever he is making, it’s guaranteed to be charming. The simple ten to twenty seconds of action you see with each spin will light even the darkest of days.

A fourth-generation toy maker, Master Masaaki learned how to make toys from his father. At eighty years old, he loves to work on his tops every day. He’s a master toymaker who has traveled the world giving workshops and guidance to aspiring toymakers who hope to follow in his footsteps. His Ikigai moves him every day to create wooden toys to make those who see them happy. He still seeks mastery every day. He never stops learning. He enjoys his full Ikigai cycle by creating toys that will bring people joy, and as a result, he receives joy in return.

The key to Ikigai is to do what you are meant to do. You have gifts that are begging to be put to good use. Understanding Ikigai is a way to put your gifts to work, so you can enjoy their benefits.

A Venn Approach to Ikigai

The world has only just begun to understand Ikigai. If you were to look up Ikigai on the internet, one of the first things you’ll find is a commonly referenced figure. It’s a Venn diagram made up of four circles arranged in a diamond pattern. The circles clearly explain Ikigai in an instant. Counterclockwise, the circle at the top represents the first lesson of Ikigai: Do what you love; the second circle, below and to the left, provides the next lesson: Do what you’re good at; the third circle, at the bottom, encourages you to: Do what the world needs; and the last circle, just up from the bottom circle, teaches the lesson: Do what you can be rewarded for.

Part of each circle overlaps parts of the others, so that they meet in the center in a confluence. Where all four circles come together in the center is where the magic of Ikigai is realized.

Ikigai is an ancient philosophy created by the sages of Okinawa. Okinawa provided the philosophy, concept, and word Ikigai. This Venn diagram, however, is a modern interpretation provided by philanthropist Marc Winn. Marc is seldom given credit for his distillation of Ikigai, but he has provided a simple interpretation for millions to understand.

According to Marc, his idea for the Ikigai Venn diagram popped into his head in 2014. He was writing a blog post about Ikigai for his website. Marc had been inspired to write his post by Dan Buettner’s celebrated book about longevity called Blue Zones. In the book, Dan brought Ikigai to the attention of his readers when he described a village in Okinawa called Ogimi.

Ogimi is renowned for its elder citizens. They are respected and revered for their wisdom and health. A stone declaration stands in the village, proudly stating that the town is the village of longevity. The declaration reads, “At eighty years old, I am still a child. When I come to see you at ninety, send me away to wait for one hundred.” Ogimi is the home of many one-hundred-year-olds who have secrets to share and lessons to pass on about many things, including Ikigai.

Marc instinctively connected Dan Buettner’s longevity research in Ogimi and its unique perspective on Ikigai with another idea he had once come across. He recalled a Venn diagram of four circles arranged in a diamond pattern with the word “purpose” in the center. He changed purpose to “Ikigai.” That small one-word change would prove to be profound. Marc included his simplification of the Ikigai into a Venn diagram in his blog post. In the months and years that followed, his translation caught on like wildfire.

By Marc’s account, millions of people around the world now understand Ikigai since the diagram first went viral. He sees his interpretation pop up in books and articles every day. His act of symbolizing Ikigai in an easy-to-understand, relatable Venn diagram launched Ikigai into the consciousness of seekers of meaning around the globe. High five, Marc! You deserve far more credit than has come your way.

Ikigai is purpose. By exchanging one word, Marc Winn has given the world a great gift: a searchable infographic that is a simple map to life’s purpose.

Try doing a search for any of these terms on the internet:

Meaning of life

Life’s purpose

Job satisfaction

Career guide

Personal brand/branding

What makes life worthwhile

Meaningful life

How to find the meaning of life

What’s the meaning of life

Living a meaningful life

Every single one of those search terms will deliver a myriad of ideas, philosophies, and opinions. But if you do a search for Ikigai, there’s a good chance you’ll see Marc Winn’s simple Venn diagram that provides you with an easy-to-read map for Ikigai and life’s purpose. Marc made life’s purpose searchable.

Marc, your connection to purpose and Ikigai is masterful. Thanks for providing us with the Ikigai Venn diagram!

If Marc Winn’s Venn diagram made Ikigai user-friendly and searchable, then I hope this book makes Ikigai doable. Doing your Ikigai is essential to carrying out your long-term purpose. As you know, life doesn’t come with an owner’s manual. Through Ikigai, you are at last provided with a map that can lead you to your life’s purpose and everyday meaning.

Follow the map and you will discover your wonderful gifts. Your mission is to share these gifts with the world. When you share your gifts with others you feel rewarded for doing it. A reminder: Ikigai has just four directions.

1.Do what you love

2.Do what you’re good at

3.Do what the world needs

4.Do what you can be rewarded for

Your Ikigai will be distinctive to you, as unique to you as the iris of your eye. So how do you find it? The answers lie in following the four directions.

As simple as the directions seem, they may feel difficult to execute. If you initially consider each of the directions as a question—What do you love? What are you good at? What do you think the world needs? What can the world reward you for?—each of the directions needs an answer to bring full clarity to your Ikigai. Your answers will come to you through your efforts. The effort is the tricky part, because as much as most people want higher purpose, it’s the last thing most people need for basic survival. A life of Ikigai makes purpose a high priority to take action with each day. A little bit of meaning every day will turn into a lifetime of joy.

In the morning, when your alarm clock rings and you reach over with your eyes still closed, blindly smacking at the off button, are you waking up to merely survive the day? You deserve more than that.

Many would have you believe that your days are supposed to be dedicated to achieving success. But success is a measurement of the ego. It only matters to you. You, and the world, deserve more than that.

When you put your Ikigai into action, you’ll wake up each morning with greater purpose. You’ll awaken to each day full of wonder. Ikigai has your map to wonder.