Introduction

I check into my Instagram account a few times a day. At one point, I kept on seeing the book nerds reading Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life. I wondered, “What is Ikigai”? I’m interested in Japanese philosophy, so I decided that I would later explore the book. Essentially, Ikigai is your reason for getting up in the mornings. I smiled when I read that in the book.

“The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.”

Below you'll find a summary of the book, Ikigai by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles. I took an excerpt from the Bookish Note Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life I created for my membership site, the Art of Learning. I really enjoyed reading this book, and the content made sense to me. Everyone needs something to live for.

Summary of Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life

What is your reason for being? Is this something that you’ve ever thought about? Most of us think there is a higher purpose, but what is it? Your Ikigai is why you get up in the morning. When you define your Ikigai, you bring happiness, satisfaction and meaning to life. Isn’t that what most people want. That sounds to me like a fulfilled life.

The authors’ purpose for this book, is to help you find your Ikigai.

Definition of Ikigai

“The happiness of always being busy.”

5 Blue Zones

Blue Zones are the geographical zones where people live the longest. Here are the five blue zones in the world.

1. Okinawa, Japan: The locals eat a diet rich in vegetables and tofu typically served on small plates. They have a strong network of support which plays an important role in their longevity.
2. Sardinia, Italy: Locals on this island consume plenty of vegetables and one or two glasses of wine per day. They have a strong community, which is another factor directly related to longevity.
3. Loma Linda, California: Research revealed that a group of Seventh-day Adventists are among the longest-living people in the United States.
4. The Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica: Locals remain active after ninety. Older residents rise early in the morning to work in the fields.
5. Ikaria, Greece: One of every three inhabitants of this island near the coast of Turkey is over ninety years old. The place has earned it the nickname the Island of Long Life.  One of the secrets to longevity is lifestyle.

Scientists who have studied the Blue Zone attribute longevity to the following:

1. Diet.
2. Exercise.
3. Finding a purpose in life (an ikigai).
4. Forming strong social ties.

The members of the community are good at time management to reduce stress. They eat little red meat or processed foods, and they drink moderately. They walk daily and work in their vegetable garden. The Okinawans in Japan eat until they’re 80 percent full, and then they stop eating. This means when you’re starting to feel full, that’s your signal to stop eating.

If you’re interested in the Okinawan diet, it’s rich in tofu, sweet potatoes, fish (three times per week), and vegetables (roughly 11 ounces per day). Such a diet would be tough for me because I don’t like tofu. I love certain types of fish. The Okinawan lifestyle is very different from that in North America. They form close bonds with the community, and it reminds me of “we are our brothers’ keepers.” They look out for and support each other.

Your body and mind are connected, so take care of both. And it’s important to give your brain an intellectual workout. An active lifestyle is important. When you take in new information, the brain creates new connections and is revitalized.

Try to limit the amount of stress in your life because it ages you. When I was going through a tough time, a lot of my hair turned gray. You cannot live in a state of emergency. Everyone needs downtime, when they’re completely off. One effective way to manage stress is by practicing mindfulness. You can practice mindfulness by meditating. Stop acting like you’re on autopilot.

Sitting at a desk all the time is no good for you, and it ages you as well. It leads to a sedentary lifestyle. Diseases associated with this lifestyle include.

• Hypertension.
• Imbalanced eating.
• Cardiovascular disease.
• Osteoporosis.
• Certain kinds of cancer.

You can make small changes, such as taking the stairs and going for walks. You may not know this, but getting enough sleep is an excellent anti-aging tool. A key to keeping the body young is to keep the mind active. Going through one Bookish Note each day is an excellent way to keep your mind active and sharp. Work through the difficulties you face in life and don’t try to run away from them.

A study revealed that the people who live the longest have a positive attitude and high emotional awareness.

Five Steps to Find Meaning

According to Viktor Framkl, the following are the five steps to finding meaning.

1. “A person feels empty, frustrated, or anxious.

2. The therapist shows him that what he is feeling is the desire to have a meaningful life.

3. The patient discovers his life’s purpose (at that particular point in time).

4. Of his own free will, the patient decides to accept or reject that destiny.

5. This newfound passion for life helps him overcome obstacles and sorrows.”

Discovering your life's purpose helps you to fill the void in your life.

Key Ideas

1. You discover the meaning of life.
2. You have a unique reading for being. And this can change over time.
3. When you worry and focus on what you don’t want, that’s exactly what you get. When you focus too much on what you desire, it drives it away.
4. Laugh more. It reduces stress and lessens anxiety.
5. You have the capacity to do good or evil, which do you choose?

Find Flow in Everything You Do

When you fully immerse yourself in an activity, all sense of time disappears. When you’re working on an activity that you don’t want to do, every minute feels like an hour.

The feeling of being immersed in an activity is called Flow. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describes it as the pleasure, delight, creativity, and process when we are completely immersed in life. You need to get into a state of flow, have an “optimal experience” if you want to live according to ikigai.

To achieve optimal experience, focus more on activities that take you into a state of flow.

“It is not only creative professionals who require the high doses of concentration that promote flow. Most athletes, chess players, and engineers also spend much of their time on activities that bring them to this state.”

The Seven Conditions for Achieving Flow

According to researcher Owen Schaffer of DePaul University, the requirements for achieving flow are:

1. “Knowing what to do.

2. Knowing how to do it.

3. Knowing how well you are doing.

4. Knowing where to go (where navigation is involved)

5. Perceiving significant challenges.

6. Perceiving significant skills.

7. Being free from distractions.”

Years ago, while working on three projects at the same time, I was operating in a state of flow. And I met all the requirements above. You need to have a meaningful challenge to stay in the flow. I felt unstoppable, but that state has been difficult for me to get into. Until now. I’ve been using technology to get me into the flow.

“According to Csikszentmihalyi, in order to focus on a task, we need to:

1. Be in a distraction-free environment.

2. Have control over what we are doing at every moment.”

The book offers many ideas on how you can create space for distraction free time. Many of the ideas you’ve seen before. However, I loved the idea of going on a “technology fast” and chunking tasks. Another idea I’ll mention is the Pomodoro Technique.

Have you read?

The Pomodoro Technique by Francesco Cirillo, Review

“Try the Pomodoro Technique: Get yourself a kitchen timer (some are made to look like a pomodoro, or tomato) and commit to working on a single task as long as it’s running. The Pomodoro Technique recommends 25 minutes of work and 5 minutes of rest for each cycle, but you can also do 50 minutes of work and 10 minutes of rest. Find the pace that’s best for you; the most important thing is to be disciplined in completing each cycle.”

Microflow: Enjoying mundane tasks

What sequence in a process can you use to find joy, even in mundane things such as washing dishes by hand.

“The happiest people are not the ones who achieve the most. They are the ones who spend more time than others in a state of flow.”

Resilience

“Resilience is our ability to deal with setbacks. The more resilient we are, the easier it will be to pick ourselves up and get back to what gives meaning to our lives. Resilient people know how to stay focused on their objectives, on what matters, without giving in to discouragement. Their flexibility is the source of their strength: They know how to adapt to change and to reversals of fortune. They concentrate on the things they can control and don’t worry about those they can’t.”

How to Find Ikigai

As I was reading Ikigai, I was looking for hints on how to find your Ikigai. What will work for me, may not work for you. It’s about experimentation. The authors interviewed several people who stated the things that contributed to their longevity. I’ve included many of them below.

1. Never stop learning: Give yourself the assignment of answering some big questions in life.
2. Be part of a community where you do things together. Nurture friendships every day. Do a hobby together.
3. Smile and learn to have a good time.
4. Don’t worry because it causes stress. Open your heart to others with a smile on your face.
5. Cultivate good habits. And look at how you start your day. Are you doing things you love that are good for you. Some people who live the longest work in their vegetable gardens.
6. “Haste makes waste.” Live an unhurried life.
7. Be optimistic. Look on the bright side of things.
8. Participate in some exercises and practices from the East, such as tai chi, qi gong, yoga, and meditation.
9. Pursue your passions, no matter what. Never give up.
10. Don’t consume meat every day.

Conclusion: Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life

Most people want to live a life filled with meaning. And sometimes it’s the simple things in life that give you the most meaning. Several times in the book, Ikigai, the authors talk about people working in their vegetable garden. I know that gardening calms me. Choose one or two activities to start to find meaning in your life.

Next Steps

1. Buy and Read Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles
2. Join the Art of Learning Membership Site

If you want access to Bookish Note Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles, which has more information than the above summary, please consider joining my membership site, the Art of Learning.

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