Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life

Ikigai is the Japanese concept of a reason for living. According to residents of a Japanese village known for having the world's longest-living people, finding your ikigai is key to a happier and longer life. Ikigai exists where what you love, what you're good at, what you can get paid for, and what the world needs all overlap. This sense of purpose infuses each day with meaning and is the reason people get up in the morning. In Japan, there is no word for retirement in the English sense; many Japanese remain active and work at what they enjoy because they have found real purpose in life. The authors interviewed residents of a Japanese village with the highest percentage of 100-year-olds, one of the world's Blue Zones. The book reveals the secrets to their longevity and happiness: how they eat, how they move, how they work, how they foster collaboration and community, and how they find the ikigai that brings satisfaction to their lives. It provides practical tools to help readers discover their own ikigai.