Addressing the fallacies surrounding the Ikigai Venn Diagram.
Caution: Your idea of ikigai may have been distorted.
The so-called ikigai diagram has gained popularity as a tool for finding purpose and direction in life or work.
However, some criticisms and fallacies exist regarding this diagram and the idea that ikigai is found at the intersection of what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and for what you can be paid.
When I saw the diagram for the first time, my Japanese mind recoiled and shouted ‘FALSE’. However, one of the fallacies affected me, causing me to second-guess my initial reaction. Maybe this diagram is not totally false…
Bandwagon fallacy — occurs when we think something is true because it is popular and widely accepted.
Here’s how it worked its magic on me: You can experience it firsthand by opening a web browser and performing a keyword search for ‘Ikigai.’ Then, try to decide which image, website, or link you’d select as your key source of Ikigai information.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve noticed the popularity of the diagram, including its presence on Forbes and The Government of Japan website, indicating their association. Doesn’t this give us confidence that the diagram is a good, trustworthy representation of Ikigai? So, I felt compelled to give it a try.
I tried using the Venn diagram. Then I ended up making a useful ikigai distribution map.
After several rounds of modifications, I created this ‘Distribution Map’ for Ikigai. Ikigai can manifest from any direction and can be mapped to any one, two, three, or four elements. For example, my Ikigai #10 aligns only with ‘What benefits me/others,’ and that’s perfectly okay. You might not see anything mapped to ‘What you can be paid for’ because I couldn’t come up with one, and that’s also okay. This flexibility was precisely what I needed to address the second fallacy.
If you are interested in learning how I personalized the Venn Diagram into this distribution map, this article will give you the additional details.
Oversimplification fallacy — occurs when we attempt to make something appear simpler by ignoring certain relevant complexities.
Many people who have discovered and appreciated the Ikigai Venn Diagram have developed a reductionist view, suggesting that ikigai primarily revolves around finding a purpose and the convergence of four elements. This perspective is far from the truth and represents a distorted idea of Ikigai.
In essence, while the Venn diagram provides a framework for introspection and self-reflection, it’s crucial to approach it critically and understand its limitations. We must acknowledge that individual paths to purpose and fulfillment can be far more intricate and multifaceted than what a simple diagram suggests.
Truth be told…
For those well-versed in Ikigai, it’s important to note that the Venn Diagram was originally created by Andrés Zuzunaga, a Spanish astrologer and entrepreneur, to represent his concept of ‘propósito’ (purpose). It wasn’t meant to represent the Japanese concept of Ikigai.
