How to Ikigai

The biggest challenge with reaching your maximum potential in life is to understand what it is you’re looking for in the first place

“Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.”

How much of each day do you spend focusing on your happiness? What percentage of each twenty-four hours do you concentrate on doing what you love? When you were a child, a hundred percent of your day was dedicated to doing what you love.

Ikigai is “the reason you get out of bed in the morning.”

the morning reeked of excitement.

get out of bed every day. I

Ikigai is “the reason you get out of bed in the morning.”

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.

focuses on you: What do you love and what are you good at

focuses on you: What do you love and what are you good at

focuses on you: What do you love and what are you good at

focuses on you: What do you love and what are you good at

Belt colors in karate signify growth and development. As it was first done, all students started with a white belt. As each student gained more and more knowledge and skills, she would, over time, traditionally dye her belt a darker color.
The first color the belt would be dyed was yellow. Yellow showed that the student was aware that she was receiving her first beams of knowledge, or sunlight. The student had opened up her mind to learning and growth.
Next, the student would earn the privilege to dye her belt orange. Like the glowing sun warmed the earth to nurture new seeds, so too did the lessons that accompany the orange belt. The student could feel her strength grow and her understanding deepen.
A green belt showed that the student, like a seed, had broken out above ground and was reaching toward sun stretching for more knowledge.
Blue belts represented the sky, as the student grew farther toward the sun.
Purple demonstrated that the student had developed deep and more advanced knowledge. They started to understand the significance of maturity and the power of knowledge.
When the student dyed their belt brown, they were nearing earnest wisdom. All their hard work and determination had fruits to bear. They were just beginning to understand what the fruits meant.
Red meant danger. When a student had earned her red belt, she was capable of inflicting great harm. She posed great danger if she didn’t remain vigilant and respectful of her capabilities. The objective of the student with a red belt was to be cautious and seek more knowledge.
The student finally earned her black belt only when she fully understood the profound power of her knowledge. Black represented the vastness of space beyond the sun. There is much more to learn. The student became a teacher who continues to learn, forever.

n preparation for discovering your Ikigai, consider these three important realities:
1.You are not your job. You are your work.
2.“Take your pleasure seriously.” —Charles Eames, American designer, architect, and filmmaker
3.Follow the clues. When you find things you enjoy, then do them. They will lead you to more.

Figuring out your life’s purpose ma

iguring out your life’s purpose may

Once you zoom in on what you’re good at, and what you love to do, your Ikigai will begin to offer you rewards.

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.

It’s what you do, every day, that’s meaningful to you and to others.

Ikigai is easy to share, and it’s easy to feel the rewards of sharing it.