Finding a purpose, in life, in our careers, is an increasingly popular topic for debate, especially in the worlds of ethical business and personal development, and in the space where the two align. Companies are trying to define their purpose as nine out of 10 consumers today expect companies to show their commitment to society, beyond just making a profit. And people are trying to find a purpose to be able to do meaningful work. But how do we find it, and can we use it to do good whilst also becoming happier?
Today is International Day of Purpose so it got me thinking about how we can figure out what it is to encourage ourselves to lead better and more fulfilling lives, not just for ourselves but for our communities and maybe even the rest of the world.
What is the meaning of life?
One question many come back to when reflecting on these things is; what is the meaning of life? Of course, a very big question, and potentially more than anything, a philosophical one. But as with anything, it is potentially also affected by trends in society and one could probably do a philosophy thesis on how much society’s expectations affect our answer to the question.
Quite often it is determined by your job as some will say it’s about having a career and making money to build a good life for you and your family. Some will say it’s more determined by passion, for example those who dedicate their life and work to saving lives, such as doctors or those working with animal conservation issues, which again brings it back to finding a purpose, something to pursue in life. For some deep reading on the subject I’d recommend Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning about his time as an Auschwitz concentration camp inmate and how trying to find a purpose helped him get through the horrific trauma of World War II.
The meaning of life is of course also about being happy, about having people to love and to be loved in return.
When looking at what truly makes us happy and what makes us live the longest, the researchers find that it’s about the relationships we have – positive and loving relationships. I’d recommend this TED talk about the longest study that’s ever been carried out on happiness where they followed people through life to see what’s made them happy and what didn’t.
What is your ikigai?
To explore the concept of purpose further I’ve been reading Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles’ book about Ikigai – the Japanese word and concept that roughly translates to “the happiness of always being busy”. Essentially, it’s the intersection of what you’re good at and what you love doing, and discovering your ikigai is said to bring fulfilment, happiness and make you live longer.
The questions we should be asking ourselves to get closer to our ikigai when it comes to our professional lives are whether we’re doing something we love, something the world needs, something we are good at, and something we can be paid for. Finding our purpose and making the most of it will subsequently lead to us doing good in the world, which in turn will make us happier.
Garcia and Miralles suggest that finding our ikigai will improve our health and happiness and I’d recommend reading their book but here’s a summary of 10 points for a long and happy life:
- Stay active and don’t retire
- Leave urgency behind and adopt a slower pace of life
- Only eat until you are 80 per cent full
- Surround yourself with good friends
- Get in shape through daily, gentle exercise
- Smile and acknowledge people around you
- Reconnect with nature
- Give thanks to anything that brightens our day and makes us feel alive
- Live in the moment
- Follow your ikigai