Ikigai: the secret to a purposeful life | Emily Bidle | TEDxYouth@ASIJ

Emily highlights the struggles of having a shy personality and the inability to confidently express herself. After stepping out of her comfort zone and getting accepted into a program called FutureHack, she was able to shift her mindset from viewing things as obstacles to opportunities. Realizing that her opinions do truly matter, she developed a great drive towards making a real impact on society.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Ikigai: the Japanese secret
to living a purposeful life,

originating from the island of Okinawa,

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

Once called the land
of immortals, the UN states

that Okinawa has the highest proportion
of centenarians to date.

These Okinawans live
by a concept known as ikigai.

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

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

the reason you get
out of bed every morning.

Ikigai stands at the crossroad
of four main qualities:

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

and what you can be rewarded for.

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

This is something
that is truly meaningful to you

and you're willing to make sacrifices for.

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

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

Finally, adding on what you
can be rewarded for

is essential to make a living
out of your purpose.

Now, finding your ikigai

requires deep experimentation
and self exploration.

By pursuing concrete actions
and reflecting back thoughtfully,

you can discover how your passion,

mission, profession and vocation

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

Take Steve Jobs for example.

He was the epitome of success
in the technology field,

but he wasn't passionate
about computer hardware;

he was passionate about the tools

that would unleash
his personal creativity.

His curiosity and interest in calligraphy

eventually became the inspiration

for Apple and its unique typography.

By exploring your passions and interest,

you can engage your mind in novel ways

and discover your purpose, your ikigai.

And not only will your ikigai

help you live a more meaningful life,

but it will also protect you
from stress and illness.

According to the American
psychosomatic society,

possessing a high sense of purpose in life

is associated with
a reduced risk for mortality

and cardiovascular accidents.

So those who feel purpose
tend to live healthier lives

and are more motivated and resilient.

And I believe that each
and every one of us

has an ikigai.

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

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

It requires courage, determination,

and a willingness to make sacrifices.

In order for me to discover my ikigai,

I first had to detach myself

from my fears, negativity, and worries.

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

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

What even is my purpose?

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

and what I did.

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

I realized that my only
true enemy was myself

and that if this continues,

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

So I tried convincing myself
that my contributions do matter

and that I do have a purpose,

but I just couldn't seem to believe that.

So that is when I decided
to take concrete actions

that would build up
the confidence inside of me

and help me see what I am
actually capable of.

Although it took a lot of consideration

and a lengthy list of pros and cons,

I had joined an entrepreneurial program
by the name FutureHack,

a boot camp designed
for self-motivated leaders

who strive to solve global issues.

I set foot into the program
with a shy personality,

minimal experience in leadership,

and the inability to comfortably
express my ideas to others.

But throughout the experience,

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

We worked collaboratively

under a national project
for educational innovation.

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

had all come together to exchange ideas

on how to reform
the Japanese education system.

Over 50 teachers and 50 students
had attended this movement

while government officials watched over

and actually took students' ideas
into consideration.

It was astonishing to watch
students and teachers interacting

and pitching their own ideas
to one another.

And this new feeling
of enthusiasm and ambition

sparked the confidence inside of me,

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

By facing my fear
and realizing that I am capable,

I no longer felt scared or intimidated.

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

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

I had uncovered my passion
for design and entrepreneurship,

and built up this desire
to continue expanding and exploring

to further discover my true inner self.

The great Dalai Lama
has summed up my experience:

"With realization of one's own potential

and confidence in one's ability,

one can build a better world."

Now, close your eyes.

I am giving you this moment
to ask yourself,

What do you love?

What are you good at?

What can you be rewarded for?

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

Now, open your eyes,

and open yourself
to the opportunities that await you.

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

despite your insecurities.

Keep your passion in mind.

Let go of your fear.

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

Shift your mindset
from viewing things as obstacles

and see them as opportunities.

Eventually, your purpose may unfold.

Go out and discover your ikigai.

Thank you.