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Why
Define Your WHY: Chapter 6 WHY Find ikigai?
This chapter will share ikigai as the Japanese concept for the meaning of life. The four elements of ikigai are
(1) what you love,
(2) what you’re good at,
(3) what the world needs, and
(4) what you are valued for.
There are activities in this chapter that walk you through a process to help you determine what ikigai means for your WHY and why you can bring a positive outlook to your future.
Resources
- Blog post: ikigai: Your Purpose and Reason for Living
- Episode #3 Podcast and Post: My Journey into Inquiry with Shelly Vohra
- Dr. Shelly Vohra’s website
- Having a Purposeful Life video: https://youtu.be/9XGUpKITeJM
- Activity with ikigai video: https://youtu.be/rhuGMV2CEbI
- How to ikigai TedTalk: https://youtu.be/pk-PcJS2QaU
Guiding Questions
- What is ikigai? What is the history of the word?
- What do you love?
- Start thinking about the things that you love using keywords, phrases, and any ideas.
- Brainstorm all the aspects of your life that make your heart sing.
- What are you good at?
- What unique skills do you have that come most naturally to you?
- What dispositions do you believe you have that you will need for your future?
- What talents have you cultivated and what do you excel at even when you aren’t trying?
- What does the world need?
- What breaks your heart or pulls at your gut?
- What change would you most love to create in the world?
- What would you give your life for?
- What are you valued for?
- What service, value, or offering do you bring or could bring that brings real value to others?
- What is something people need and are happy to pay for or share some value in exchange?
- In working on ikigai, have you found out something about yourself that surprised you?
- After reading Shelly Vohra’s story, how can you connect your ikigai with your WHY?
- How can ikigai help you build your self-confidence and encourage self-advocacy?
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