October 22, 2024 • 15 mins
This is the second column of the Full Life House. Your occupations take a big part of your adult life. Therefore, it is very important to dedicate to activities that contribute to your flourishing; we will apply the Japanese model called IKIGAI.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Chapter 4. Your Occupation.
(00:03):
Quote, Choose the Job you love, and you won't work a day in your life.
Confucius.
We have now arrived at the second pillar of the life house of the full life, work.
Before starting this section, I suggest you take the time to make a personal reflection on your current work situation.
Please take a look at page 22 of the PDF workbook, and then take a few minutes to answer the following questions.
(00:29):
Reflection 6. Your Current Job.
How do you feel about your current job?
Do you feel joy when you go to work in the morning?
Does your job allow you to achieve your personal goals?
How important is money as a reason to stay in your job?
Is there any good reason to stay in your job?
One country I have visited frequently is Japan.
(00:52):
I live in Shanghai, China, and flying to Japan only takes me two hours.
The country has a fascinating culture.
It has influences from China, especially in its Zen religion,
but has developed its own culture and an original philosophy about life.
One such Japanese concept is Ikigai.
(01:13):
It refers to the raison d'oeuvre or purpose in life.
It combines four elements, what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you'd pay for.
The idea is to balance these four areas to find meaning in your life.
For the Japanese, Ikigai is the key to a happy and healthy life.
(01:35):
The four components of Ikigai are what you love.
This refers to the activities that you are passionate about and that make you feel happy and fulfilled.
For example, music, sports, art, and technology, among others.
What you're good at doing.
This is your natural skill set and talents, which can be further developed with practice and training.
(01:58):
What the world needs.
Describe the areas of society that can benefit from your talent or skills and help solve social or economic problems.
What you would be paid for.
This refers to jobs that allow you to earn financial remuneration and, at the same time, exercise what you love and what you are good at.
By combining these four elements, you will be doing activities that you love and enjoy while helping the world and potentially getting financial compensation.
(02:26):
That's your Ikigai.
See page 23 of the PDF workbook.
How to discover your Ikigai.
What you love.
You may find yourself more comfortable doing some activities more than others.
You'll notice this as when you're busy with such activities, it feels like time doesn't exist.
You really give yourself to what you're doing, coming away with a sense of satisfaction.
(02:51):
Another way of identifying what you love is to think about the activities you have felt inclined to do since childhood.
In my case, I always liked to read and learn new things, and I was fascinated by distant countries.
One of the reasons I went into teaching was that I had to learn constantly.
In this role, you are a teacher and a student at the same time.
(03:14):
Also being a teacher at an international school allowed me to teach people worldwide.
And in these years, now that I am retired, I have been able to follow my other passions, which are traveling and photography.
Reflection 7. What you love.
Use page 24 of the PDF workbook.
Identify the activities that motivate you the most and that when you do them, you lose track of time.
(03:39):
Is there an activity that appealed to you when you're young that you don't do anymore?
What you're good at doing.
Here I will use the work of Harvard professor, psychologist and educator Howard Gardner.
He suggests that intelligence is not just one, but many.
Throughout his career, he has written and published numerous books.
(04:00):
Originally published in 1993, one of his best known and most prominent works is
Multiple Intelligences – Theory in Practice.
The book explores the idea that multiple intelligences can be applied in the classroom
and presents various teaching strategies to accommodate different types of intelligence.
It has been translated into numerous languages and has been highly influential in education worldwide.
(04:26):
One way to find what you're good at is to identify in which intelligences you excel at.
According to Gardner, there are eight different types of intelligence, each with specific skills and abilities.
These eight types are, one, linguistic intelligence.
This is the ability to use language, words, communication and rhetoric.
(04:47):
This type of intelligence is related to using and understanding verbal and written language.
People who possess it manifest a facility for words with strong communication skills and good reading comprehension.
This intelligence is present in several professions and academic disciplines, as well as in many people's daily lives.
(05:09):
Those with high linguistic intelligence enjoy reading and writing,
appreciate poetry and history, and engage in discussions on complex topics.
Professionals who excel in this intelligence include writers, journalists, poets, communicators, lawyers, editors, teachers
and all activities in which ideas are concretized through oral and written expression.
(05:34):
In educational terms, developing this intelligence can be fostered by inviting students to discuss and think critically,
promoting the ability to listen while increasing skills for communication and argumentation in public.
Two, logical mathematical intelligence.
This is related to aptitude in logical reasoning, mathematical problem-solving and understanding abstract patterns.
(05:59):
People with this intelligence know how to understand and work with numbers and abstract concepts.
Those with high logical mathematical intelligence have an innate ability to recognize and understand patterns
and cause and effect relationships in the world around them.
In educational terms, the development of this intelligence is strongly focused on mathematics.
(06:20):
From elementary mathematics to logic and abstract theory.
Logical mathematical intelligence is generally important in careers and professions associated with physical and exact sciences,
such as engineering, physics, medicine and mathematics, but can also be found in anthropology, finance and other technical and abstract fields.
(06:43):
Three, visual spatial intelligence.
This is the ability to imagine and visualize, perceive space and objects, and have artistic skills.
People with high visual spatial intelligence can easily visualize and manipulate images and objects in their minds.
They usually have a strong sense of direction and an excellent ability to interpret and visualize maps and understand abstract or mathematical concepts.
(07:10):
In general, those who possess this intelligence show a preference for architecture and design.
This skill can also manifest itself in the ability to create and understand visual representations of complex data, drawings and abstract concepts
related to visual and creative memory.
Professions associated with this intelligence typically include architects, sculptors, photographers and graphic designers.
(07:37):
Four, musical intelligence.
This intelligence refers to the ability to perform and create music and feel and perceive emotions through sounds.
People with this intelligence may have a great sensitivity and capacity for sounds, including an ability to distinguish rhythm, pitch, timbre, harmony and other elements of music.
(07:59):
They also possess exceptional hearing.
Those with high musical intelligence can excel in areas such as instrumental music, composition, arrangements, orchestration, music teaching and melody creation, among others.
Five, bodily kinesthetic intelligence.
This refers to using one's body to solve problems and express ideas.
(08:21):
People with this intelligence may demonstrate above-average physical and kinesthetic abilities, including skills in sports, dance and manual skills such as handicrafts.
Men and women who have developed this intelligence often stand out as speakers, social leaders and in acting.
This intelligence can be learned and developed from an early age through sports, dance and manual skills such as handicraft.
(08:47):
Six, interpersonal intelligence.
This is associated with the ability to understand and connect with other people and their emotions, as well as the ability to deal with social situations effectively.
People with this intelligence have a great sensitivity to understanding the needs and perspectives of others.
They are good communicators, active listeners, and skilled at negotiating, mediating and leading groups.
(09:12):
They are typically associated with professions such as therapists, psychologists, teachers, political leaders, religious leaders, business leaders, or other professions requiring social interaction.
Seven, interpersonal intelligence.
This is the ability to understand oneself, self-reflection, and self-awareness.
(09:34):
It refers to understanding and connecting with oneself and developing self-awareness and emotional self-regulation.
People with developed interpersonal intelligence can reflect on their thoughts and emotions, understand their identity and motivations, and connect with their inner feelings.
To develop interpersonal intelligence, one must reflect on their needs and desires, pay attention to their emotions, and apply relaxation and meditation techniques.
(10:02):
Doctors, writers, and psychologists value this type of intelligence.
Eight, naturalistic intelligence.
This refers to the ability to understand and connect with nature and the natural environment that surrounds us.
People with a developed naturalistic intelligence are predisposed to identify with the environment.
They enjoy exploring nature and outdoor living.
(10:26):
Can your intelligence type be measured?
Yes, it can.
See page 25 of the PDF workbook.
In fact, there are questionnaires out there that measure these intelligences, such as the one that can be found at www.personalitymax.com.
This free test provides a report with a graph showing your intelligences.
(10:53):
The questionnaire will give you an idea of what your strengths are and, most likely, match what you like best.
As an example, you can see the results of my own test on page 25 of the PDF workbook.
My preferred intelligences are intrapersonal, naturalistic, linguistic, and musical.
For example, in my activity as a professor, I use linguistic and intrapersonal intelligence.
(11:17):
With my hobby of photography, I can be in contact with nature.
Finally, music is an important part of my life.
Although I never learned to play an instrument, I did learn to appreciate music.
I suggest that you take this or a different quiz and reflect on your strengths and how they fit with what you love.
Reflection 8, Your Intelligences.
(11:40):
See page 26 of the PDF workbook.
What are your outstanding intelligences?
How do you connect with what you like?
The last two points in IkiGuy consist of looking for an activity that fits your talents and interests,
is also useful to society, and generates income for you.
To do this, you need to do a search process in the job market and start promoting yourself.
(12:06):
My doctoral thesis focused on middle-aged people losing their jobs.
The question I researched was, how do they find a new job?
I analyzed the most used media, such as advertisements, company websites, and headhunter companies.
All of these channels proved to be useful, but in my research, the most effective method of finding a new job was personal contacts,
(12:30):
family, friends, and former colleagues, among others.
It is crucial to create a network of relationships as soon as possible, as it will eventually come in handy when looking for a new job.
Now you have the information to answer the question of what your IkiGuy is.
See page 27 of the PDF workbook.
(12:51):
Reflection 9. What is your IkiGuy?
Summarize your answers to the four elements of your IkiGuy.
What I love is, my talents are, what they need is, what they pay for is.
How can you achieve your IkiGuy?
One way is to create your own personal experience plan.
(13:14):
To do so, the first thing you need to do is clarify what you want.
Then you must perform what's known as a difference analysis between the starting point and the destination.
To establish the starting point, reflect on the following questions.
How do you feel about your current job?
What are your talents?
What are you passionate about?
(13:35):
That is what you have found out with the IkiGuy model.
The next step is making a personal experience plan to help you achieve your goal.
To help with this, ponder the following question.
What new skills do you need?
Based on your answer, you can decide if you need to do a training program.
Contact people who are working in that sector to learn more about what is needed.
(13:58):
Or find a mentor who can guide you and create opportunities to help you along the way.
The support of your family and close friends is also important.
Finally, you must be open to opportunities and prepared to take risks.
While it may not work out well at first, consider those small failures as opportunities to learn and improve.
(14:20):
Reflection 10, your personal experience plan.
See page 28 of the PDF workbook.
Indicate the specific time-bound actions you are going to take to achieve your IkiGuy.
Courses, study, useful connections, experiences, other actions.
(14:41):
Finally, it is important to understand that your IkiGuy is not static.
It can change throughout your life due to the evolution of your interests, skills, and perspectives.
Some people discover their IkiGuy early in life, while others find it after years of exploration and personal growth.
In addition, significant changes in your career, personal life, or lifestyle can influence your IkiGuy.
(15:07):
Therefore, it is crucial to keep an open mind and be willing to explore new possibilities at different stages of your life.
You must identify the activities that motivate you and give you satisfaction,
striving for the ideal combination to feel personally and professionally fulfilled.
With this, we conclude the construction of the concept of a full life.
(15:30):
Now, we will explore other aspects that can help you on your way to it.
First, you must adopt a positive attitude towards life, which brings us back into the realm of positive psychology.
Chapter 4. Your Occupation.
(00:03):
Quote, Choose the Job you love, and you won't work a day in your life.
Confucius.
We have now arrived at the second pillar of the life house of the full life, work.
Before starting this section, I suggest you take the time to make a personal reflection on your current work situation.
Please take a look at page 22 of the PDF workbook, and then take a few minutes to answer the following questions.
(00:29):
Reflection 6. Your Current Job.
How do you feel about your current job?
Do you feel joy when you go to work in the morning?
Does your job allow you to achieve your personal goals?
How important is money as a reason to stay in your job?
Is there any good reason to stay in your job?
One country I have visited frequently is Japan.
(00:52):
I live in Shanghai, China, and flying to Japan only takes me two hours.
The country has a fascinating culture.
It has influences from China, especially in its Zen religion,
but has developed its own culture and an original philosophy about life.
One such Japanese concept is Ikigai.
(01:13):
It refers to the raison d'oeuvre or purpose in life.
It combines four elements, what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you'd pay for.
The idea is to balance these four areas to find meaning in your life.
For the Japanese, Ikigai is the key to a happy and healthy life.
(01:35):
The four components of Ikigai are what you love.
This refers to the activities that you are passionate about and that make you feel happy and fulfilled.
For example, music, sports, art, and technology, among others.
What you're good at doing.
This is your natural skill set and talents, which can be further developed with practice and training.
(01:58):
What the world needs.
Describe the areas of society that can benefit from your talent or skills and help solve social or economic problems.
What you would be paid for.
This refers to jobs that allow you to earn financial remuneration and, at the same time, exercise what you love and what you are good at.
By combining these four elements, you will be doing activities that you love and enjoy while helping the world and potentially getting financial compensation.
(02:26):
That's your Ikigai.
See page 23 of the PDF workbook.
How to discover your Ikigai.
What you love.
You may find yourself more comfortable doing some activities more than others.
You'll notice this as when you're busy with such activities, it feels like time doesn't exist.
You really give yourself to what you're doing, coming away with a sense of satisfaction.
(02:51):
Another way of identifying what you love is to think about the activities you have felt inclined to do since childhood.
In my case, I always liked to read and learn new things, and I was fascinated by distant countries.
One of the reasons I went into teaching was that I had to learn constantly.
In this role, you are a teacher and a student at the same time.
(03:14):
Also being a teacher at an international school allowed me to teach people worldwide.
And in these years, now that I am retired, I have been able to follow my other passions, which are traveling and photography.
Reflection 7. What you love.
Use page 24 of the PDF workbook.
Identify the activities that motivate you the most and that when you do them, you lose track of time.
(03:39):
Is there an activity that appealed to you when you're young that you don't do anymore?
What you're good at doing.
Here I will use the work of Harvard professor, psychologist and educator Howard Gardner.
He suggests that intelligence is not just one, but many.
Throughout his career, he has written and published numerous books.
(04:00):
Originally published in 1993, one of his best known and most prominent works is
Multiple Intelligences – Theory in Practice.
The book explores the idea that multiple intelligences can be applied in the classroom
and presents various teaching strategies to accommodate different types of intelligence.
It has been translated into numerous languages and has been highly influential in education worldwide.
(04:26):
One way to find what you're good at is to identify in which intelligences you excel at.
According to Gardner, there are eight different types of intelligence, each with specific skills and abilities.
These eight types are, one, linguistic intelligence.
This is the ability to use language, words, communication and rhetoric.
(04:47):
This type of intelligence is related to using and understanding verbal and written language.
People who possess it manifest a facility for words with strong communication skills and good reading comprehension.
This intelligence is present in several professions and academic disciplines, as well as in many people's daily lives.
(05:09):
Those with high linguistic intelligence enjoy reading and writing,
appreciate poetry and history, and engage in discussions on complex topics.
Professionals who excel in this intelligence include writers, journalists, poets, communicators, lawyers, editors, teachers
and all activities in which ideas are concretized through oral and written expression.
(05:34):
In educational terms, developing this intelligence can be fostered by inviting students to discuss and think critically,
promoting the ability to listen while increasing skills for communication and argumentation in public.
Two, logical mathematical intelligence.
This is related to aptitude in logical reasoning, mathematical problem-solving and understanding abstract patterns.
(05:59):
People with this intelligence know how to understand and work with numbers and abstract concepts.
Those with high logical mathematical intelligence have an innate ability to recognize and understand patterns
and cause and effect relationships in the world around them.
In educational terms, the development of this intelligence is strongly focused on mathematics.
(06:20):
From elementary mathematics to logic and abstract theory.
Logical mathematical intelligence is generally important in careers and professions associated with physical and exact sciences,
such as engineering, physics, medicine and mathematics, but can also be found in anthropology, finance and other technical and abstract fields.
(06:43):
Three, visual spatial intelligence.
This is the ability to imagine and visualize, perceive space and objects, and have artistic skills.
People with high visual spatial intelligence can easily visualize and manipulate images and objects in their minds.
They usually have a strong sense of direction and an excellent ability to interpret and visualize maps and understand abstract or mathematical concepts.
(07:10):
In general, those who possess this intelligence show a preference for architecture and design.
This skill can also manifest itself in the ability to create and understand visual representations of complex data, drawings and abstract concepts
related to visual and creative memory.
Professions associated with this intelligence typically include architects, sculptors, photographers and graphic designers.
(07:37):
Four, musical intelligence.
This intelligence refers to the ability to perform and create music and feel and perceive emotions through sounds.
People with this intelligence may have a great sensitivity and capacity for sounds, including an ability to distinguish rhythm, pitch, timbre, harmony and other elements of music.
(07:59):
They also possess exceptional hearing.
Those with high musical intelligence can excel in areas such as instrumental music, composition, arrangements, orchestration, music teaching and melody creation, among others.
Five, bodily kinesthetic intelligence.
This refers to using one's body to solve problems and express ideas.
(08:21):
People with this intelligence may demonstrate above-average physical and kinesthetic abilities, including skills in sports, dance and manual skills such as handicrafts.
Men and women who have developed this intelligence often stand out as speakers, social leaders and in acting.
This intelligence can be learned and developed from an early age through sports, dance and manual skills such as handicraft.
(08:47):
Six, interpersonal intelligence.
This is associated with the ability to understand and connect with other people and their emotions, as well as the ability to deal with social situations effectively.
People with this intelligence have a great sensitivity to understanding the needs and perspectives of others.
They are good communicators, active listeners, and skilled at negotiating, mediating and leading groups.
(09:12):
They are typically associated with professions such as therapists, psychologists, teachers, political leaders, religious leaders, business leaders, or other professions requiring social interaction.
Seven, interpersonal intelligence.
This is the ability to understand oneself, self-reflection, and self-awareness.
(09:34):
It refers to understanding and connecting with oneself and developing self-awareness and emotional self-regulation.
People with developed interpersonal intelligence can reflect on their thoughts and emotions, understand their identity and motivations, and connect with their inner feelings.
To develop interpersonal intelligence, one must reflect on their needs and desires, pay attention to their emotions, and apply relaxation and meditation techniques.
(10:02):
Doctors, writers, and psychologists value this type of intelligence.
Eight, naturalistic intelligence.
This refers to the ability to understand and connect with nature and the natural environment that surrounds us.
People with a developed naturalistic intelligence are predisposed to identify with the environment.
They enjoy exploring nature and outdoor living.
(10:26):
Can your intelligence type be measured?
Yes, it can.
See page 25 of the PDF workbook.
In fact, there are questionnaires out there that measure these intelligences, such as the one that can be found at www.personalitymax.com.
This free test provides a report with a graph showing your intelligences.
(10:53):
The questionnaire will give you an idea of what your strengths are and, most likely, match what you like best.
As an example, you can see the results of my own test on page 25 of the PDF workbook.
My preferred intelligences are intrapersonal, naturalistic, linguistic, and musical.
For example, in my activity as a professor, I use linguistic and intrapersonal intelligence.
(11:17):
With my hobby of photography, I can be in contact with nature.
Finally, music is an important part of my life.
Although I never learned to play an instrument, I did learn to appreciate music.
I suggest that you take this or a different quiz and reflect on your strengths and how they fit with what you love.
Reflection 8, Your Intelligences.
(11:40):
See page 26 of the PDF workbook.
What are your outstanding intelligences?
How do you connect with what you like?
The last two points in IkiGuy consist of looking for an activity that fits your talents and interests,
is also useful to society, and generates income for you.
To do this, you need to do a search process in the job market and start promoting yourself.
(12:06):
My doctoral thesis focused on middle-aged people losing their jobs.
The question I researched was, how do they find a new job?
I analyzed the most used media, such as advertisements, company websites, and headhunter companies.
All of these channels proved to be useful, but in my research, the most effective method of finding a new job was personal contacts,
(12:30):
family, friends, and former colleagues, among others.
It is crucial to create a network of relationships as soon as possible, as it will eventually come in handy when looking for a new job.
Now you have the information to answer the question of what your IkiGuy is.
See page 27 of the PDF workbook.
(12:51):
Reflection 9. What is your IkiGuy?
Summarize your answers to the four elements of your IkiGuy.
What I love is, my talents are, what they need is, what they pay for is.
How can you achieve your IkiGuy?
One way is to create your own personal experience plan.
(13:14):
To do so, the first thing you need to do is clarify what you want.
Then you must perform what's known as a difference analysis between the starting point and the destination.
To establish the starting point, reflect on the following questions.
How do you feel about your current job?
What are your talents?
What are you passionate about?
(13:35):
That is what you have found out with the IkiGuy model.
The next step is making a personal experience plan to help you achieve your goal.
To help with this, ponder the following question.
What new skills do you need?
Based on your answer, you can decide if you need to do a training program.
Contact people who are working in that sector to learn more about what is needed.
(13:58):
Or find a mentor who can guide you and create opportunities to help you along the way.
The support of your family and close friends is also important.
Finally, you must be open to opportunities and prepared to take risks.
While it may not work out well at first, consider those small failures as opportunities to learn and improve.
(14:20):
Reflection 10, your personal experience plan.
See page 28 of the PDF workbook.
Indicate the specific time-bound actions you are going to take to achieve your IkiGuy.
Courses, study, useful connections, experiences, other actions.
(14:41):
Finally, it is important to understand that your IkiGuy is not static.
It can change throughout your life due to the evolution of your interests, skills, and perspectives.
Some people discover their IkiGuy early in life, while others find it after years of exploration and personal growth.
In addition, significant changes in your career, personal life, or lifestyle can influence your IkiGuy.
(15:07):
Therefore, it is crucial to keep an open mind and be willing to explore new possibilities at different stages of your life.
You must identify the activities that motivate you and give you satisfaction,
striving for the ideal combination to feel personally and professionally fulfilled.
With this, we conclude the construction of the concept of a full life.
(15:30):
Now, we will explore other aspects that can help you on your way to it.
First, you must adopt a positive attitude towards life, which brings us back into the realm of positive psychology.
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