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Ikigai: the Japanese secret
to living a purposeful life,

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originating from the island of Okinawa,

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where its residents have
the highest life expectancy in the world.

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Once called the land
of immortals, the UN states

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that Okinawa has the highest proportion
of centenarians to date.

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These Okinawans live
by a concept known as ikigai.

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"Iki" translates to life,
and "gai" describes value.

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This term refers to the things
that make one's life worthwhile,

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the reason you get
out of bed every morning.

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Ikigai stands at the crossroad
of four main qualities:

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what you love, what you're good at,
what the world needs,

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and what you can be rewarded for.

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The intersection between what you love
and what you're good at is your passion.

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This is something
that is truly meaningful to you

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and you're willing to make sacrifices for.

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Adding to the picture,
what the world needs is vital,

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as serving society gives us
this sense of belonging and purpose.

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Finally, adding on what you
can be rewarded for

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is essential to make a living
out of your purpose.

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Now, finding your ikigai

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requires deep experimentation
and self exploration.

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By pursuing concrete actions
and reflecting back thoughtfully,

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you can discover how your passion,

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mission, profession and vocation

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all intersect to bring more meaning
to your career and life.

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Take Steve Jobs for example.

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He was the epitome of success
in the technology field,

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but he wasn't passionate
about computer hardware;

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he was passionate about the tools

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that would unleash
his personal creativity.

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His curiosity and interest in calligraphy

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eventually became the inspiration

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for Apple and its unique typography.

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By exploring your passions and interest,

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you can engage your mind in novel ways

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and discover your purpose, your ikigai.

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And not only will your ikigai

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help you live a more meaningful life,

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but it will also protect you
from stress and illness.

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According to the American
psychosomatic society,

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possessing a high sense of purpose in life

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is associated with
a reduced risk for mortality

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and cardiovascular accidents.

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So those who feel purpose
tend to live healthier lives

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and are more motivated and resilient.

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And I believe that each
and every one of us

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has an ikigai.

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You just have to undertake
a deep exploration of yourself to find it.

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But let me tell you now: it is not easy.

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It requires courage, determination,

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and a willingness to make sacrifices.

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In order for me to discover my ikigai,

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I first had to detach myself

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from my fears, negativity, and worries.

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I would often think I'm too shy
to make any contributions to society,

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and even if I do,
who's actually going to care?

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What even is my purpose?

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I would constantly criticize myself
and find faults with who I was

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and what I did.

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But after years and years of self-doubt
and a lack of confidence,

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I realized that my only
true enemy was myself

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and that if this continues,

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I would never be able to experience
and discover my full potential.

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So I tried convincing myself
that my contributions do matter

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and that I do have a purpose,

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but I just couldn't seem to believe that.

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So that is when I decided
to take concrete actions

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that would build up
the confidence inside of me

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and help me see what I am
actually capable of.

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Although it took a lot of consideration

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and a lengthy list of pros and cons,

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I had joined an entrepreneurial program
by the name FutureHack,

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a boot camp designed
for self-motivated leaders

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who strive to solve global issues.

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I set foot into the program
with a shy personality,

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minimal experience in leadership,

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and the inability to comfortably
express my ideas to others.

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But throughout the experience,

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I had met so many passionate,
hard-working and inspirational people.

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We worked collaboratively

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under a national project
for educational innovation.

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It was the first time governors,
teachers, and students of Japan

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had all come together to exchange ideas

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on how to reform
the Japanese education system.

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Over 50 teachers and 50 students
had attended this movement

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while government officials watched over

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and actually took students' ideas
into consideration.

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It was astonishing to watch
students and teachers interacting

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and pitching their own ideas
to one another.

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And this new feeling
of enthusiasm and ambition

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sparked the confidence inside of me,

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and I happily pitched my reformation ideas
to the changemakers themselves.

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By facing my fear
and realizing that I am capable,

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I no longer felt scared or intimidated.

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I finally felt like my opinion
truly did matter to people,

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and I developed this great drive towards
making a positive impact on society.

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I had uncovered my passion
for design and entrepreneurship,

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and built up this desire
to continue expanding and exploring

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to further discover my true inner self.

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The great Dalai Lama
has summed up my experience:

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"With realization of one's own potential

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and confidence in one's ability,

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one can build a better world."

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Now, close your eyes.

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I am giving you this moment
to ask yourself,

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What do you love?

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What are you good at?

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What can you be rewarded for?

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And what would you like to see
change in this world?

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Now, open your eyes,

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and open yourself
to the opportunities that await you.

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I encourage you to branch out
and take advantage of these opportunities,

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despite your insecurities.

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Keep your passion in mind.

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Let go of your fear.

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Go pursue that thing you've been
holding yourself back from for so long.

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Shift your mindset
from viewing things as obstacles

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and see them as opportunities.

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Eventually, your purpose may unfold.

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Go out and discover your ikigai.

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Thank you.