Ritu Pandey's Key Ideas from Ikigai
by Héctor García

When we have to complete a task we don't want to do, every minute feels like a lifetime and we can't stop looking at our watch.

What makes us enjoy doing something so much that we forget about whatever worries we might have while we do it? When are we happiest? These questions can help us discover our ikigai.

There is no magic recipe for finding happiness, for living according to your ikigai, but one key ingredient is ability to go with the flow.

It's a Japanese concept that shows us the beauty of the fleeting, changeable, and imperfect nature of the world around us. Instead of searching for beauty in perfection, we should look for it in things that are flawed, incomplete.

• The only moment in which you can be truly alive is the present moment.
• We should never forget that everything we have and all the people we love will disappear at some point. This is something we should keep in mind, but without giving in to pessimism. Being aware of the impermanence of the things doesn't have to make us sad; it should help us love the present moment and those who sorround us.

One thing that everyone with a clearly defined ikigai has in common is that they pursue their passion no matter what. They never give up, even when the cards seem stacked against them or they face one hurdle after another.

But resilience isn't just the ability to persevere. It is also an outlook we can cultivate to stay focused on the important things in life rather than what is most urgent.

Sooner or later, we all have to face difficult moments, and the way we do this can make a huge difference to our quality of life.