Does it look like a Venn Diagram? a Flower? a set of Pillars? a list of Rules?
This article provides a bird’s eye view of ikigai frameworks.
I encourage you to compare and select the one that resonate with you. Go with your feeling! Which one feels good to you?
The Five Pillars of Ikigai
Introduced by Ken Mogi. Details are found in his book, The Little Book of Ikigai, and Awakening Your Ikigai. Ken explains how he came up with the pillars framework in this 9-minute YouTube video.
The Kamiya Flower
Introduced by Nicholas Kemp. Details can be found on his IKIGAI TRIBE blog and in his book IKIGAI-KAN: Feel a life worth living. It is based on The Seven Ikigai Needs, a framework suggested by ikigai research pioneer Mieko Kamiya.
The propósito (purpose) framework
Introduced by Andrés Zuzunaga. While it was not designed to represent ikigai, I have to include it here because of its significance today. You can learn why and how he came up with this framework through this podcast.
The Ikigai Venn Diagram
Introduced by Marc Winn. You can learn how Marc came up with the idea of combining the ideas of two other individuals to show the interconnectedness of the concepts through this podcast interview.
The Ten Rules of Ikigai
Introduced by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles through the book IKIGAI: The Japanese Secret To a Long and Happy Life. There are videos on this topic; however, I could not find one with direct involvement of the authors. So the best source of details is the book.
Have I overlooked any ikigai-related frameworks that you’ve come across? Please let me know, and I will add them to my research scope.
Approach with an open mind.
All of these frameworks are there to provide a structure, to help organize your ideas, feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. I recommend selecting the ones that appeals to you and learning more about them.
Then, make it your own.
Ikigai is entirely individualistic; it cannot be borrowed or imitated. It holds the nature of establishing a value system in the heart of the person who possesses it. — Mieko Kamiya
The framework you’ve chosen is a foundation, a start point, an initial blueprint. You will be building on it, tweaking it, and coming up with your own framework as you realize your unique value system in your heart.
