Finding Meaning & Purpose
“I am 75 and retired. I’ve basically done everything I set out to do in my life, including a career, taking care of my family, and my bucket list of retired travels, hobbies and time with grandchildren, etc.? I’m having trouble figuring out what is next and I am starting to get bored.”
Dear Needing A Meaningful Reason to Get Up In the Morning,
Boomers are the generation that has been gifted with this additional encore stage of life. The good news is that there is a lot of research about how individuals can identify their new “raison d’ être.” The challenge is to identify and actualize the methodology to find your new meaning and purpose in life that works for you. Boomers are individuals. One approach may work for some, and another approach may work for others. Thus, I will explore one option of how to find meaning and purpose with you today and another in additional postings as many people are writing into me about this topic.
The first approach I would like to explore with you is Japanese. Everyone has an Ikigai hidden inside of us, and finding it requires a patient search. Our Ikigai is our purpose that gives meaning to our life. In a nutshell, it is the intersection between 4 important parts of ourselves:
What you love
What you are good at
What the world needs
What you can be paid for
Please see the diagram above to get a visual connection between the four dimensions of your Ikigai. If this approach resonates with you, you may quickly find your own Ikigai. If you want more information or a walk through this process by an expert, I recommend purchasing the book IKIGAI by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles. They will walk you through the Japanese secret to a long and happy life.