5.6 – Ikigai and Decision Making Aligned with One’s Values

Ikigai is a valuable guide for making decisions aligned with our deepest values. Indeed, when we have clarified our reason for being, what brings meaning and joy to our life, we have an inner compass to guide our daily choices. Rather than allowing ourselves to be influenced by external expectations, trends, or social pressures, we learn to listen to that small voice within us that knows what is right and consistent for us.

Imagine a person whose Ikigai is to “create beauty to inspire others”. Faced with a highly lucrative professional opportunity that wouldn’t allow them to express their creativity, they’d be able to say no while staying true to their priorities. Even if this choice may seem difficult or incomprehensible from the outside, they know deep down that it is aligned with their Ikigai and therefore brings lasting satisfaction.

Ikigai invites us to step back when facing significant decisions, to ask ourselves the right questions: “Does this choice nourish my life’s purpose? Is it in line with my core values? Will I be able to express my talents and have a positive impact through this project?”. By taking the time for reflection and introspection, we avoid impulsive decisions or decisions based solely on material criteria. We learn to listen to our inner wisdom and trust our deep feelings.

For example, consider a recent graduate passionate about education, whose Ikigai is to “promote the love of languages to open minds to the world”. They’re torn between two job offers: a well-paid position in an international company, or a contract in an NGO that promotes intercultural learning in schools. By reconnecting with their Ikigai, they’ll realize that the second option, although less financially comfortable, carries more meaning and will allow them to live their mission daily.

Another invaluable contribution of Ikigai is that it helps us dare to go off the beaten path to remain true to ourselves. In a society that often values conformity and conventional success, making choices aligned with our life’s purpose can require courage and audacity. Ikigai provides us with the inner strength to embrace our differences, to take calculated risks to honor what is essential for us. It reminds us that what matters most is living in accordance with our values, rather than seeking external approval at all costs.

Ikigai also helps us to cultivate our intuition and our ability to make enlightened decisions. By regularly reconnecting with our purpose, by fine-tuning our inner listening, we develop a form of instinctive wisdom. We learn to identify opportunities and projects that resonate with our life’s mission, even if they may initially seem unconventional or uncertain. We trust our feelings and our creativity more to carve our own path.

Of course, making decisions aligned with our Ikigai does not shield us from doubts, fears, or failures. But it gives us the momentum and resilience to persevere despite obstacles because we know we are on our path to fulfillment and contribution to the world. Each “no” to what doesn’t suit us becomes a “yes” to ourselves, our integrity, and our unique potential.

By incorporating the concept of Ikigai into our decision-making process, we thus develop our personal leadership. We become conscious actors in our life, capable of making brave and authentic choices. We inspire others by our example, showing that it’s possible to succeed and thrive while staying true to our values. Our decisions then become a powerful tool for positive transformation, for ourselves and the world around us.

Key Takeaways:

1. Ikigai is an inner compass that guides us in our decisions, helping us to stay aligned with our deep values and our life’s purpose.

2. By clarifying our Ikigai, we learn to listen to our inner wisdom and make choices based on what is truly important to us, rather than yielding to external pressures.

3. Ikigai encourages us to take a step back when facing significant decisions and to ask the right questions to see if a choice feeds our life’s mission and our unique talents.

4. Following our Ikigai sometimes requires leaving the beaten path and daring to make unconventional choices, but choices consistent with our authenticity and deep aspirations.

5. By regularly reconnecting with our Ikigai, we cultivate our intuition and our ability to spot opportunities that resonate with our self-fulfillment path.

6. Even if decisions aligned with our Ikigai do not shield us from difficulties, they give us the resilience to persevere knowing that we’re on our life’s path.

7. Incorporating Ikigai into our decision-making process allows us to develop our personal leadership, inspire others by our example, and positively contribute to the world around us.