Ikigai

The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life

by Héctor García , Francesc Miralles

Number of pages: 208

Publisher: Penguin

BBB Library: Psychology and Strengths, Personal Success

ISBN: 978-0143130727



About the Authors

Héctor García : Héctor García is a citizen of Japan, where he has lived

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Francesc Miralles : Francesc Miralles is an award-winning author who has written a number

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Editorial Review

It includes wisdom from supercentenarians (age 110 and over) throughout the world. García and Miralles deliver clear, succinct information about diet, exercise, stress, sleep, and meditation. While little here is new, the authors have skillfully compiled key ideas related to physical and mental well-being into an engaging, easily accessible format with lists, charts, and illustrations. They explain clearly why each recommended action is critical and make it easy for the reader to take immediate steps (for example, by providing diagrams for basic tai chi and yoga exercises). Throughout, the book persuasively shows that small changes can help readers find more joy and purpose in their lives.

Book Reviews

“The entire book is a guide on how to find your IKIGAI, and if you do, how to hold on to that purpose along with living a long and happy life. The first three chapters of the book are filled with research, scientific facts, and examples, which I found a bit boring (maybe because I bombarded myself with a lot of information in the last two months).”

“Bought it as a tool to better understand how to get the most of life. Really insightful lessons from those who live long and happy lives. Not a long read, but a good one. One you can pick up and read from time to time when you need a reminder of some principles of physical, mental, and emotional health.”

“This book was recommended to me by two friends at different times. A short non-fiction that takes a close look at Japan and how people live as long as they do there. It is a treasure trove of knowledge, going into the many things that we can do to have longevity. The book has snippets of interviews with centenarians and supercentenarians who have lived a long life, trying to gauge from them what they did to have survived this long.”

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Wisdom to Share

There is a passion inside you, a unique talent that gives meaning to your days and drives you to share the best of yourself until the very end. If you don’t know what your ikigai is yet, your mission is to discover it.

There is, in fact, no word in Japanese that means retire in the sense of “leaving the workforce for good” as in English.

Those that discover their ikigai have everything they need for a long and joyful journey through life.

We’ve all felt our sense of time vanish when we lose ourselves in an activity we enjoy.

Focus on enjoying your daily rituals, using them as tools to enter a state of flow.

The happiest people are not the ones who achieve the most. They are the ones who spend more time than others in a state of flow.

We all have the capacity to do noble or terrible things. The side of the equation we end up on depends on our decisions, not on the condition in which we find ourselves.

Accept your feelings. If we have obsessive thoughts, we should not try to control them or get rid of them. If we do, they become more intense.

Morita therapy does not offer people explanations, but rather allows them to learn from their actions and activities.

The easiest way to check if there is enough variety on your table is to make sure you’re “eating the rainbow.”