It’s that time of year when no one quite knows what day it is. Are the shops open? Is it bin day? Why oh why is the sun setting at 3 in the afternoon! Welcome to the limbo land between Christmas and New Year.
Heading towards the annual day of Resolutions for Unrealistic Change (also known as the 1st January), I resolved not to make any this year. Instead I would take a moment to sense check my general direction and adjust if necessary. This meant spending a relaxing afternoon dipping into a book that suits the quiet and stillness of this time of year – Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles.
“The grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.”
Ikigai loosely translates to “the happiness of always being busy“, it is a shorthand for your reason for being. Alongside the foundation stones of a good diet, good friends and exercise, the book outlines the role of finding your purpose and leaning into your passions. How, I wondered, could this be applied to a creative life?
At a practical level, it is helpful to develop an understanding of your creative purpose by thinking about it through 4 lenses: your passion, mission, profession and vocation. If you’re interested in thinking about your own Ikigai, take a moment to make a few notes about what each of these mean to you.
The overlap of your passion and mission is what you enjoy most, creatively it will show itself through your curiosity and attention. The subjects you return to again and again, the research you never tire of. The overlap between mission and vocation points to what the world needs from you, from a creative viewpoint this is the audience your work speaks to through your unique voice. The overlap between vocation and profession suggests what you can be paid for, your marketability and the story you and your work tells. The overlap between profession and passion showcases your skills and talents, these being the things you are good at.
The Venn diagram is provided in the book, around the outer edge are my thoughts on how it can apply to creativity, what demands your curiosity and attention? Chances are it is something that you love. Find your audience while staying true to your unique voice and it will point you to where your creative work fits in the world. Marketability and a story that resonates will ensure your work finds its audience and supports you to make a living.
I found it helpful to consider and reflect on these elements. It provided a useful compass check of my creative work and the direction I’m headed in for the year ahead.
