New thread: 23 Japanese life principles to kick off your 2023 with purpose, growth, and fulfillment.
On my recent trip to Tokyo, I discovered the depth and richness of traditional Japanese life principles known as ikigai. These principles provide practical frameworks for finding purpose, balance, harmony, and mindfulness in everything you do.
As you embark on 2023, I want to share with you 23 ikigai that you can apply to your mindset, relationships, and work.
Let's start with ikigai to build a growth mindset:
Ikigai ("reason for being"): Reflect on what brings you joy, fulfillment, and purpose, and pursue those activities. Life is too short not to spend it doing things that fulfill you.
Shoshin ("beginner's mind"): Stay humble and open-minded, embrace new experiences and challenges, and be willing to learn from anyone — especially when you’re the expert.
Nana-korobi-ya-oki ("fall down seven times, get up eight"): In the face of failures, obstacles, and setbacks, keep trying and don't give up.
Kaizen (“improvement"): Keep growing with small, incremental changes. Identify small steps to improve your life and work, and take action on them regularly.
Mottainai ("don't waste"): Practice gratitude for what you have and be mindful of your consumption and use of resources.
Wabi-sabi ("beauty in imperfection"): Appreciate the beauty and value of things and people as they are — imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete.
Yūgen ("mystery"): Appreciate the mystery of things that are beyond rational. Seek to experience the intangible and the inexplicable, and see where that takes you.
Danshari ("get rid of unnecessary things"): Simplify your life by getting rid of unnecessary distractions. Keep just the things and people that bring you meaning.
Kansha ("thankfulness"): Be grateful and thankful for what you have — express appreciation to your family, friends, and coworkers. It’ll change you and your relationships.
Shibui ("understated elegance"): Seek beauty and elegance in simplicity, restraint, and subtlety. Shining doesn’t need loudness.
Hara-hachi-bu ("eat until 80% full"): Listen to your body and stop eating when you’ve had enough. Cultivate moderation in all your diets — food, information, work, and people.
Now onto ikigai to transform your relationships:
En ("connection"): All things are interconnected — consider the long-term consequences of your actions, and be mindful of how they might affect others/the environment.
Omotenashi ("selfless hospitality"): Go above and beyond to make guests feel welcome and cared for. Strive to create a delightful and inclusive environment/experience for them.
Ōendan ("support group"): Surround yourself with supportive and positive people, and cultivate relationships with those who share similar values, goals, and interests.
Hairyō ("forethought"): Be mindful of the needs and feelings of others — adjust your behaviour accordingly to be more considerate and thoughtful of your interactions.
Reisetsu ("propriety"): Be aware of the current social etiquette and customs, and adapt to the TPO — time, place, and occasion — to exhibit good manners based on where you are.
Let's close with ikigai to become more productive at work:
Chowa ("harmony"): Seek balance and harmony between life and work to avoid overloading or overextending yourself.
Nemawashi ("preparing the ground"): Lay a solid foundation for something before starting it — proactively plan a project, decision, or meeting, only then commit to it.
Kodawari ("attention to detail"): Be picky and meticulous about the details — pay attention to the small things as they make most of the difference.
Yūgen jikko ("making good on one's promise"): Be true to your word and follow through on your commitments to be a reliable and dependable professional that leads by example.
Kanban ("signboard"): Adopt lean and visual work processes to save time, increase the efficiency of your output, and become more productive than ever before.
Genchi Genbutsu ("go and see for yourself"): Avoid relying on secondhand information and seek out firsthand knowledge and experience to get to the root cause of things.
Doryoku ("great effort"): Put in a great effort in everything you do — strive for the highest standard of quality to achieve your goals and serve others.
I hope you’ve found as much inspiration and practical guidance from ikigai as I have. If you enjoyed this thread, read more on my @substack.
titta.substack.com/p/23-ikigai-to-start-2023-purpose-growth