Ikigai (16/07/20)

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"ikigai"

 

This week as we welcome our new students, I'm thinking about the Japanese concept of ikigai and how as educators, we have a role in helping our students to find their purpose in life. ikigai means 'a reason for being' and is seen as the convergence of four elements:

 

What you love (your passion)

What the world needs (your mission)

What you are good at (your vocation)

What you can get paid for (your profession)

 

University is an opportunity to foster all of these things in our students. We want them to find their purpose in life at Salford and provide a nurturing environment for them to achieve their goals. Discovering your own ikigai is said to bring fulfilment, happiness and make you live longer - Japan has one of the highest life expectancies in the world, so there must be something in it! 

 

If you want to find your ikigai, ask yourself the following questions: 

1) What do I love? 

2) What am I good at? 

3) What can I be paid for now or in the future? 

4) What does the world need?

 

You can find out more about ikigai here and here. Also check out the book "Ikagai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life" by Hector Garcier.

 

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