Every time I see someone write about the westernized misrepresentation of Ikigai, I sigh. Because it’s of course been blended up with capitalism and hyperbole to become essentially a sales pitch.

Ikigai, to the Japanese, was never about what you can get paid for. Taking care of your grandkids can also be your Ikigai. The stuff you do after work can be your Ikigai. And it changes over time. To me it feels like western thinking really pollutes a lot of beautiful insight and opportunity.

Also, Ikigai is not a Venn diagram.

To be fair, if that framework is helpful to you and inspires you, by all means use it. But it’s not Ikigai. Catching up with your friends can be.

If you’re curious about what Ikigai means to the Japanese, give The Ikigai Podcast a chance: https://ikigaitribe.com/podcasts/ – It’s a series of interviews with Japanese professors, authors, experts, and people living their ikigai.