Ikigai is a Japanese concept which could translate to “a reason for being” or knowing your purpose. Knowing your ikigai allows you to find your path to fulfilment and gives you guidance in times of uncertainty. By aligning what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs and what you can be paid for - you are able to unlock these four secrets to a deeply satisfying and purposeful existence.
Ikigai is associated with positive relationships and good health.
In a way, ikigai can serve as a compass to navigate both career and life decisions.
Thankfully, there are steps you can follow to find your own ikigai. And it may be something you already know instinctively.
Ask yourself;
What do you love? (What is your passion?)
What are you good at?
What does the world need?
Can you get paid for it?
Then map it out creating a roadmap on how to achieve it.
Create a support system to help you stick to your roadmap.
Test it out.
Ikigai should lead to mastery and growth.
The hardest part may be resisting societal and familial expectations.
An example of someone who has found her ikigai is a young luthier called Daisy Tempest. As a musio, Daisy had performance anxiety and also realised that there are so many better musicians than her. Still, wanting to be part of the music industry, she honed in on her love of guitars and woodwork.
Daisy specialised as a luthier under the tutelage of Rosie Heydenrych who instilled upon her the importance of precision and patience. Admittedly, the hardest aspects for her to master. These Important lessons have stood her in good stead as one of her guitars takes her anything between 300 and 400 hours to complete.
What I find interesting is her business model which goes against conventional wisdom - she only produces guitars - and only one model at that. She has a one product offering which may be seen as a risky business model - But, her craftsmanship, build quality and sound is such that in the space of a few short years her custom, made to order guitars, have become highly sought after. In fact, she’s had to pause commissions because her order book is full until 2029.
Tempest guitars are heirlooms pieces and as such Daisy offers a lifetime guarantee on her guitars.
As Daisy Tempest herself says;
“Music is what keeps me supported, craft is what keeps me hungry.”
Next issue we get to cover another person of interest although it is someone who hasn’t quite managed to stay true to his own Ikigai but has never the less lived a life less ordinary. If you like this feature, get in touch and let me know who you would like to see featured.
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