What is Your IKIGAI in Engineering Life? ( Sunday Best Reads)

Recently, a book called IKIGAI has topped the charts of bestselling books in the self help genre. There is a place named Okinawa in Japan. The residents of this part of Japan have a peculiar record in the world. They live long and lead a happy life. Older people of 80 or ’90s are still fit and work in offices. According to them, the secret of such a long and happy life is IKIGAI. IKIGAI means a reason to live in this world. Without IKIGAI, a person is tensed &stressed and does not like what he is doing. The person always constantly searches for the IKIGAI.

The reason for bringing this book to your notice is that right after B.Tech, we too need to find our IKIGAI. Then we will reach the flow state. When a person reaches a flow state, he is dedicated to cause. When you ask your elders, they may advise you based on these four points.

(1) Work what you like

(2) Work what you are good at

(3) Work whatever pays you much

(4) Work what the world needs.

They ask you to choose the job based on these criteria. But that is the wrong advice. According to the IKIGAI principle, your decision should be a combination of these four choices. Let us understand the concept of IKIGAI by the four circles in the figure.

(1) What you love to do [1]

(2) What you are good at [2]

(3) What pays you [3]

(4) What world needs you [4]  

Now the

·                     The common portion of circle 1 and 2 will give you Passion [area5]

·                     The common portion of circle 2 and 3 will give you profession [area6]

·                     The common portion of circle 3 and 4 will give you vocation. [area 7]

·                     The common portion of circles 4 and 1 will give you a mission. [area 8]

Now consider MS Dhoni. Dhoni loves cricket (Circle 1). He practices cricket and becomes perfect in it (Circle 2). Circles 1 and 2 have common area 5 which is his passion. If he is good at cricket (Circle 2) and the playing of cricket pays him well enough (Circle 3), the common area of circles 2 and 3 is profession (common area 6). If he gets paid well in cricket (Circle 3) and the world watches him (Circle 7), the common area of the circles show vocation (area 7). Similarly, area 8 represents his mission. The common portion ‘I’ of the all circles represents IKIGAI. This is the reason for his existence. Like MS Dhoni, we all need to find our IKIGAI.

You can check the book here.

For more engineering insights, you can go to B.Tech Guide Book

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