Elusive. Mysterious. What is your IKIGAI?

Iki-wat? Sounds like a pervert in a bar.

What it really means (in Japanese) is your “reason of being”. Why are you here in this world?

According to this diagram, it is the intersection of these four conditions:

1.       Doing what you love

2.       Doing what you are good at

3.       Doing what you can be paid for

4.       Doing what the world needs

However, I think that to actually achieve this centre, this perfect state of being, is near impossible; and even if you manage to, it is but for a fleeting moment, and then everything will change again in this transient world. And much like that perfect soulmate, it rarely exists. Much like that perfect relationship, you will always beat yourself up trying to achieve perfection.

Not that we shouldn’t try though. Far from it! Keep searching for your IKIGAI if it means you will constantly keep improving on your efforts at doing what you love, what you’re good at, what you’re paid for and making the world a better place in your own little way.

But the Truth is, you might never reach IKIGAI.

I once went on a driving tour to Kilmarnock, as a pilgrimage (those of you who KNOW me will understand).

It was to be a 3-day trip.

We stopped at every distillery along the way, as a build-up.

We never reached Kilmarnock.

It was a great trip.

I have come to realise, it's the journey, not the destination.  What makes life interesting, and keeps the world going, is that constant STRIVE to progress, to make today’s conditions better. Not perfection for perfection’s sake.

Ironically, once you have reached perfection, or near perfection, you will find THAT journey has ended.

But fortunately, there’s always another journey after that. 

I hear Tullamore is a beautiful place.