Ikigai

Ikigai can be having a sense of purpose in life, as well as being a source of motivation. According to a study by Michiko Kumano, feeling ikigai as described in Japanese is usually the sense of accomplishment and fulfillment that follows when people pursue their passions. Activities that generate the feeling of ikigai are not imposed on an individual; they are perceived as spontaneous and undertaken willingly, making them personal and dependent on a person's inner self.

According to Japanese psychologist Katsuya Inoue, ikigai is a concept that consists of two aspects: "sources or objects that bring value or meaning to life" and "a feeling that one's life has value or meaning because of the existence of its source or object". Inoue classifies ikigai into three categories – social ikigai, non-social ikigai, and anti-social ikigai – from a social perspective. Social ikigai are forms accepted by society, such as volunteer activities and community activities. A non-social ikigai is not directly related to society, such as faith or self-discipline. Anti-social ikigai is the basic motivation for living through dark emotions, such as the desire to hate someone or something or to continue having a desire for revenge.

Meaning and etymology

The Oxford English Dictionary defines ikigai () as "a motivating force; something or someone that gives a person a sense of purpose or a reason for living". More generally, it may refer to something that brings pleasure or fulfillment.

The term compounds two Japanese words: iki (生き, meaning 'life; alive') and kai (甲斐, meaning 'effect'), which, when combined and sequentially voiced as gai, result in the meaning 'a reason for living [being alive]; a meaning for [to] life; what [something that] makes life worth living; a 'raison d'être'.

In their book, Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life, Héctor García and Francesc Miralles explain, "This Japanese concept, which translates roughly as 'the happiness of always being busy,' is like logotherapy, but it goes a step beyond." In 2022, the Japanese government posted an article on their official website stating, "A broad concept, it [ikigai] refers to that which brings value and joy to life: from people, such as one's children or friends, to activities including work and hobbies."