The Love in Ikigai: Playing with Words
Many studies have shown that quitting a 9-to-5 job may cause one to age faster without purpose, especially for someone who has been used to the structure for most of her life. This came up often when I shared my intent to leave a good job that took up at least 40 hours of my life every week.
This always made me think of the idea of ikigai, the Japanese secret to a joyful life, i.e., by doing something you love, are good at, can be paid for, and what the world needs all in one.
I liked and was good enough at creating project plans and working with teams. My job paid well enough, and I was doing what was needed. But once I quit, I knew what I would do instead. I love playing with words more. Blissfully, I can shift to doing what I love while putting other considerations as secondary at this stage in my life.
As a little girl, I would wash dishes and tell myself made-up stories. Growing up, I kept diaries capturing my random thoughts. As a teenager, I devoured novels. I loved being taken away to worlds created by words on paper. How did someone do that?
At some point in my adult life, I considered writing a memoir after reading one. I could do this. I had something to say. As I faced the blank page, I let my mind wander. I typed a word, deleted it, typed another, rearranged the words, and then repeated these steps. With one word at a time, I wrote a book—and another.
One day, my dear uncle looked at me and remarked, "I can’t imagine writing a page; don’t even think of a book." I explained that writing makes me happy. I often forgot the time when I wrote. The creative state made me a child again when all I had to do was learn and play.
I’m letting the love part of the ikigai lead my life. Then, knowing that I love writing, I want to get good at it—and next, I want to write a novel. If I create something worth reading, the world will need and pay for it. I would continue practicing even if no one needs or pays for my stories until I stop loving the journey or decide I’m no good at it after playing and working hard.
I like to cross-check against a mental model like ikigai to understand any trade-offs and blind spots based on the new priorities and sequencing of steps. I know that achieving a perfect ikigai may be lifelong work or with extreme luck.
Tactically, I’m working toward a new routine: daily writing, learning, and reading. Never forget that practice makes perfect, or in this case, practice makes ikigai possible. (Starting in Ocboter, I hope to have goals, daily word counts, and hours for these activities when I’m more settled. If you are curious, here are other writers’ daily word counts.)
Let the playing start.