Okinawa, an island at the southern end of Japan, is not known only for its picturesque beauty, but also for its remarkable population of some of the longest-living people in the world. They have unlocked the secret to a long and fulfilling life. Along with a balanced plant-based diet, regular gardening, and a strong social community, the concept of “Ikigai” plays a crucial role.

Ikigai is both an everyday term and an understanding of life. The word is composed of “iki” standing for life and “gai” meaning value. Although there is no exact translation, ikigai can be understood as the reason we get up each morning – the meaning of life.

Ikigai refers to life as a whole and is more than just a philosophy of life. It’s about getting to know yourself better and finding your own meaning in life.

What is your personal Ikigai for 2024? To find that out, you can use this model as a guide:

The model includes four core elements: passion, mission, vocation and calling. To find out your core elements, you first need to get to know yourself better. The questions on the handout will help you do this. As you answer the questions, focus on the coming year and consider the areas in which you want to make changes. It is advisable to answer the questions regularly over several weeks, on different days and at different times. This will most likely result in different answers. Thus, try to identify a general pattern in your answers which will bring you closer to your Ikigai.

You can do the exercise over and over again in during the course of your life. Each small change and improvement can bring you one step closer to your Ikigai and help you live a more fulfilling life.