HANOI UNIVERSITY
ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES DEPARTMENT
o0o
IKIGAI – THE SECRET TO A LONG
AND HAPPY LIFE OF THE JAPANESE
Teacher: Tran Thuy Hang
Students: Doan Thi Ha Phuong, Le Thi Chau Giang
Class: 2D22
Course: EAP Writing
Date: March 17, 2023
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ABSTRACT
“Ikigai” is a technique that the Japanese use to live a longer and happier life. This paper, based
on secondary research, discusses why Ikigai can do such miracles. In particular, three main points
are mentioned, including the definition and the effects of Ikigai, its elements, and ways to uncover
your own Ikigai. The findings of the research indicate that Ikigai is a wonderful method to discover
your purpose in life and help you have a more meaningful being. Furthermore, some ways to find
it out are recommended with the hope to lend you a hand in finding your happiness.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1
2. Discussion of findings................................................................................................................. 1
2.1. Definition of Ikigai and how can it change your life ............................................................... 1
2.2. The four elements of Ikigai from a Western Perspective ....................................................... 2
2.3. How to develop your own Ikigai ............................................................................................. 3
2.3.1. Way to find your Ikigai ......................................................................................................... 3
2.3.2. Strengthen your Ikigai........................................................................................................... 3
3. Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 5
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................... 6
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1. Introduction
Have you ever wondered: What should you do when you wake up in the morning? What is the
purpose in life? Are you satisfied with your current life? These are questions that everyone wants
to explore. Some people even spend their whole lives trying to find the answer to this question. In
2016, the magazine named “Journal of Research and Personality” published research findings that
people who find purpose in their work generally earn more than people who feel their work lacks
meaning. If you are feeling disoriented in life, don't worry, the Japanese Ikigai philosophy may
help you discover your life goals and motivate you to try harder every day (Eatough, 2021). The
research aims to inform this ancient philosophy and hopefully help you find your own Ikigai to
live a happier, more fulfilling life.
2. Discussion of findings
2.1. Definition of Ikigai and how can it change your life
Mitsuhashi (2018) defines Ikigai as a Japanese concept that means “your reason for being”. “Iki”
in Japanese means “life” and “gai” represents value or worth. Ikigai can be understood as values
that make life worth living and knowing what I'm living for.
Mogi (2017) stated that the recognition of the value of people through the successes they achieve
in general causes unnecessary pressure for many people. You can achieve Ikigai - the value of life
without having to prove it through achievements. Ikigai can bring success, but success is not a
requisite for Ikigai. One's Ikigai can be family, work, or hobbies. Furthermore, Ikigai is not
necessarily great big things but can be simple things like morning air, a cup of coffee, rays of
sunshine, or praise,..., and everyone can find their own Ikigai.
As written in an article by Eatough (2021), the different view of Ikigai between Japanese and
Western countries is that while the Japanese concept of Ikigai is a find for happiness in life,
Westerners use Ikigai as a method to find work suitable for you.
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So how does Ikigai affect our lives? Everyone's Ikigai will give them different effects, but overall,
understanding your own Ikigai will give you the following benefits: providing focus and
orientation, helping you to feel happy and satisfied, calm and steady mind, better control of daily
life, mature and progress, finding life purpose, feeling motivated, more proactive, finding
motivation to live and develop (Mitsuhashi, 2018). In the book “The blue zones: 9 lessons for
living longer from the people who've lived the longest”, Buettner (2012) interviewed centenarians
on the island of Okinawa - the island with the highest number of people living over 100 years old
in the world, Southern Japan, and found that Ikigai, along with a healthy diet and lifestyle, are
contributing factors to their longevity. In 2011, Ishida conducted a study that showed that Ikigai
may relieve worries as well as help your body recover faster.
According to the research “Sense of life worth living (ikigai) and mortality in Japan”, Sone et al.
(2008) found a correlation between Ikigai and health benefits. These researchers concluded by
analyzing information from more than 50,000 people that people without Ikigai are more likely to
have problems with their health, career, and education level,..., such as unemployment, very high
levels of psychological stress, aching bodies, less physical activities, and won’t even get married.
Moreover, people who have a sense of Ikigai will have a much lower mortality rate than those
without Ikigai. This lower rate is because they have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. That's
why the Japanese believe that Ikigai greatly affects their longevity and happiness (Eatough, 2021).
2.2. The four elements of Ikigai from a Western Perspective
As stated by Bray (2017), there are four basic elements that can help you find your dream career.
The first element is “what you love”. Try to uncover things that can make you feel that life is worth
living, like singing, playing games, reading books, etc. Reveal what you want to do without
thinking about how you can be good at it, what it may benefit you, or how much it will cost.
Secondly, learn about what you are good at. Have you ever thought that you are especially skillful
at something? One of the knowledge and skills that you have learned may be your strength in the
future, whether you like it or not. The third one is the current human demands. Think of what the
world needs - the “world” mentioned here can be the entire world or just a group of people that
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you will live with. What can they want from you? In this sphere, you will have to discover the
other’s own needs, as well as the ways to make them satisfied. Last but not least, ask yourself what
you can be paid for. You can find it out by seeking things that can give actual benefits to others
and someone will be willing to pay you for doing them.
2.3. How to develop your own Ikigai
2.3.1. Way to find your Ikigai
It’s quite difficult to discover your Ikigai because there isn’t any ideal way to find it. You must
listen to your inner voice as well as go beyond your scope of yourself. Even if you haven’t found
it yet, you still can grow all the elements of Ikigai inside you and wait for them until they all sprout.
According to Gaines (2020), there is a way you can find out your Ikigai with the elements circle.
It will only take you a few minutes to write four elements of Ikigai that we mentioned down on
that circle, then try to equilibrate them and connect them. When you reach the center of the circle,
you have found your Ikigai. For instance, if you may like designing, you are good at it, the world
also needs it at this time and you can get a well-paid job easily, then you might say you have found
your “Ikigai sweet spot”.
2.3.2. Strengthen your Ikigai
The neuroscientist Mogi (2017) mentioned in his book “The Little Book of Ikigai” that there are
five pillars that can provide basic useful foundations for your Ikigai to grow stronger.
Pillar 1: Starting small.
You should also concentrate on the little points. Mogi associated this pillar with craftsmen who
always pay attention to every detail, no matter how tiny it is. People can accomplish their targets
by taking those small steps. We all do understand that there is no way everything can be done
perfectly, so we need to notice little details that have been meticulously cared for and observe them
since they are also important factors to achieve better.
Pillar 2: Releasing yourself.
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To be happier in life, you need to accept “you” first. As Mogi (2017, p.89) wrote:
"Accepting yourself is one of the most important and difficult tasks we face in our lives.
Indeed, accepting oneself is one of the easiest, simplest, and most rewarding things you
can do for yourself. A low budget maintenance-free formula for being happy."
Recognition from the public may be a sweet reward, but in some cases when it’s put in the wrong
place, it can prevent us from accepting ourselves. All things in nature are different, just like
humans, everyone is not the same. People should be comfortable pursuing their own goals and
being the ones they want to become.
Pillar 3: Harmony and sustainability.
It is believed that harmony and sustainability are among the best-kept principles of Japanese
society. This was seen in a Japanese study (Link Japan Careers, 2021): the Japanese are famous
not only for their intelligence and diligence but also for their profound culture of teamwork,
especially in the workplace. But even when they cooperate well with others, they still have
different opinions in mind. The key to their remaining cooperation is that they can think beyond
their own selfish needs since they know that their demands won’t solve any problem or make any
progress.
Pillar 4: The joy of little things.
Mogi (2017) recommends that you should start your day with some Ikigai by setting up a habit of
enjoying your favorite things (for example, chocolate or coffee) right after waking up. When you
get used to this habit, dopamine will be released inside your brain, creating motivation for you
every morning to wake up and get your reward. Like the famous singer Mary Poppins sang in a
play which is named after her: “A spoon full of sugar makes the medicine go down”.
Pillar 5: Being in the here and now.
The happiness of “being here and now” without demanding any reward or recognition is an
inseparable part of Ikigai. The satisfaction with yourself will be an impulse for you to continue
your work. It’s important to stay creative and constantly learning, just like the children. They
always value the present since they don’t have any idea what the past or the future is. “To be
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present” will help you to discover your inner child, which is a key to understanding what you want
and being happy.
3. Conclusion
The above analysis has shown that Ikigai brings us many benefits. Ikigai gives us happy values to
live more meaningfully. Our quest for Ikigai is much simpler when we bring together the four
elements and five pillars of Ikigai. Every morning when you wake up, you will always feel
refreshed and full of energy to start work. To understand Ikigai is to understand yourself.
Undoubtedly, it's a process that takes time and effort, but it's always worth a start.
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REFERENCES
Bray, B. (2017). Rethinking Learning. Retrieved from https://barbarabray.net/2017/11/14/ikigai-
your-purpose-and-reason-for-being/
Buettner, D. (2012). The blue zones: 9 lessons for living longer from the people who've lived the
longest. National Geographic Books.
Eatough, E. (2021). What Is Ikigai and How Can It Change My Life? Retrieved from
https://www.betterup.com/blog/what-is-ikigai
Gaines, J. (2020). The Philosophy of Ikigai: 3 examples about finding purposes. Retrieved from
https://positivepsychology.com/ikigai/
Hill, P. L., Turiano, N. A., Mroczek, D. K. & Burrow, A. L. (2016). The value of a purposeful life:
Sense of purpose predicts greater income and net worth. Retrieved from
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0092656616300836?via%3Dihub
Ishida, R. (2011). Enormous earthquake in Japan: Coping with stress using purpose-in-life.
Psychology, 2, 773-776.
Link Japan Careers (2021). Teamwork in Japan - Why Pulling Your Weight Counts in Japanese
Work Culture. Retrieved from https://linkjapancareers.net/teamwork-in-japan-why-
pulling-your-weight-counts-in-japanese-work-culture/
Mitsuhashi, Y. (2018). Ikigai: Giving every day meaning and joy. Hachette UK.
Mogi, K. (2017). The Little Book of Ikigai: The Essential Japanese Way to Finding Your Purpose
in Life. Quercus.
Sone, T., Nakaya, N., Ohmori, K., Shimazu, T., Higashiguchi, M., Kakizaki, M., ... & Tsuji, I.
(2008). Sense of life worth living (ikigai) and mortality in Japan: Ohsaki Study.
Psychosomatic medicine, 70 (6), 709-715. Retrieved from https://se-realiser.com/wp-
content/uploads/2018/11/Sone-et-al.-Ikigai-and-Mortality-in-Japan-2008.pdf
