Have you ever come across the concept of Ikigai presented by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles in 2016? Mostly, it is conceived as a brilliant way to find your purpose and a guide for longevity and a happy life.
What if I tell you that this bestseller is not relatable outside Japan? The book is completely based upon the people in Ogimi, a rural village in Okinawa, Japan, known as the “Village of Longevity.” After reading the book Ikigai, I felt like this is relatable, but in a parallel universe.
It doesn’t matter if you have read this book or not; let me walk you through the conflict I observed, and don’t forget to mention in the comments whether you agree or disagree.
No doubt, it is a good book that describes the lifestyle of people living in a rural village with a specific natural habitat—far away from the challenges faced by people living in urban cities—yet it is still claimed as a guide for all.
People, mostly elders who were interviewed in the book, were retired but refused to think of themselves as retired because almost all of them owned a garden to tend and find their flow. But when I compare this with urban life, owning a garden is like a dream come true. However, I do agree with the concept of flow—anything that makes you feel happy and takes you beyond the thought of how fast time is passing is really a good thing to have.
The book also focuses on healthy routines and community building. Because all these retired people have all the time in the world, they can afford to do this. But when I look at our reality, I ask myself: is it even possible to live a life like this?
I didn’t find any real hardship faced by these people, and they all sound very comfortable with what they have, which is why earlier I mentioned that it can only be related to a parallel universe. Living in a safe, rural environment brings a lot of peace and helps you to focus only on those aspects which are in your control. Once you step into the chaotic city life—where everything is on the clock and your mind is always trying to avoid distractions just to get the work done—it doesn’t really resonate.
One interesting part I observed in the book: while it was originally published in 2016, to my surprise, I don’t see any mention that the people living there used to have cell phones. Which means, when there are no cell phones, there will be no social media.
So I can say that almost 90% of their worries are already gone because if it’s true that those people living in a village don’t use cell phones or social media, they are already safe from distractions and chasing validation, which is truly wonderful but unimaginable on the other side.
After reading this book, the question that kept disturbing me was how this is relatable and how it became a global bestseller. And the answer I found might shock you.
Although the lifestyle adopted by the people of Ogimi, as briefed in the book, is very healthy—where the importance of diet, the idea of Hara Hachi Bu (which guides us that we must stop eating once we feel 80% full), the benefits of regular exercise, and waking up early are undeniable—you can find these concepts in almost all self-help books. They can be adopted by anyone living anywhere in the world because it helps our body to perform well, but longevity is questionable when you are living in a different, urban environment.
The only concept, in my opinion, which is relatable on a global scale is the concept of flow defined in the book. The people of Ogimi, the small village, had something to attend to—either their garden, meeting with friends, or taking care of the community. This is the purpose of those people which keeps them going.
In an urbanized lifestyle, where social norms are different, we hardly have time for such activities on a daily basis compared to the people living in the village. Although again it’s a healthy concept for building strong relationships, in today’s time, people value building in solitude.
But when I see this through a different lens of an urban lifestyle, we can adopt all the healthy habits, and since our environment is different, this is how we can relate the bestseller to ourselves.
For example, I like to read, and my observation reflects in what I write. When I am reading or writing, I lose track of time because this is what I completely enjoy and never get tired of. It makes me feel away from all the chaotic distractions around me. But I don’t have a garden from which I can pluck vegetables and live on that. I also have to take care of my family and my corporate job in a bank, so I need to divide my time for family and work so I can also enjoy my reading and writing. That’s my flow.
I have been reading for a long time and always wanted to write, and I started when I turned 43, after spending almost two decades in a corporate job and building a family. This makes me feel that now I can write something which might be valuable. Similarly, I believe that everyone has something close to their heart; everyone has a passion. The only difference is whether you are practicing it or following it.
Following your passion is a different thing. For example, if you love to play the guitar and you are making your living out of it, you are following your passion. But by practicing, I mean you have something that you really like to do but due to any reason you can’t do it full-time, yet once you practice it, you like it so much that you keep doing it and lose track of time. That’s your flow.
So for me, the takeaway from the book is that one must find a passion and create flow, while maintaining a healthy lifestyle and building strong relationships.
