making spinning tops. He is a fourth-generation toy maker whose greatest hope is to make tops that will make people laugh.
Mr. Hiroi loves to make things. He’s made tops that power little wooden personalities for over fifty years. One of his toys is a plump lady with an umbrella over her head. As you spin the umbrella her arm moves in a dainty, whimsical manner as if she is powdering her face in a hurry. In her other hand she holds a mirror. She is a busy lady with no time for fuss or muss. Her powder will restore the glow of her youth.
Another toy depicts a happy man- eating ramen. He holds the noodles in a large wad with a pair of chopsticks. As the top spins above the little man, he lifts his noodles gleefully up and down from his mouth. As his mouth opens up, his pink tongue twirls around as if he is in ramen-tasting bliss.
Yet another top shows a rotund little person staring into space with large tired eyes. This toy has two movements: As it holds a tiny ice cream cone to its mouth, a tiny red tongue sticks out repeatedly in a licking gesture. In its other hand, the toy waves a minuscule Japanese fan.
Masaaki spends his waking and dreaming hours thinking about his wooden spinning tops. He crafts them on a small lathe in his workshop, surrounded by wood filings, paint brushes, and trays of supplies stacked randomly throughout his small space. His workspace is a little room in his house. Dust fills the air of the workshop like pollen. There is an open window that brings in fresh air right next to his workbench. This is his happy place. He makes objects that deliver happiness. He is the Mister Geppetto of Japan.
Master Masaaki has no blueprints. His mind, and hands, guide his creations. Throughout the day, he carves and sands. He grinds and balances metal rods to incorporate into the tops. He paints his characters sparingly with primary colors. He gives them the faces of playful characters you would find at a city market on a Sunday afternoon. At the end of the day, Mr. Hiroi will have crafted a toy purely from his imagination. Whatever he is making, it’s guaranteed to be charming. The simple ten to twenty seconds of action you see with each spin will light even the darkest of days.
A fourth-generation toy maker, Master Masaaki learned how to make toys from his father. At eighty years old, he loves to work on his tops every day. He’s a master toymaker who has traveled the world giving workshops and guidance to aspiring toymakers who hope to follow in his footsteps. His Ikigai moves him every day to create wooden toys to make those who see them happy. He still seeks mastery every day. He never stops learning. He enjoys his full Ikigai cycle by creating toys that will bring people joy, and as a result, he receives joy in return.
The key to Ikigai is to do what you are meant to do. You have gifts that are begging to be put to good use. Understanding Ikigai is a way to put your gifts to work, so you can enjoy their benefits.
A Venn Approach to Ikigai
The world has only just begun to understand Ikigai. If you were to look up Ikigai on the internet, one of the first things you’ll find is a commonly referenced figure. It’s a Venn diagram made up of four circles arranged in a diamond pattern. The circles clearly explain Ikigai in an instant. Counterclockwise, the circle at the top represents the first lesson of Ikigai: Do what you love; the second circle, below and to the left, provides the next lesson: Do what you’re good at; the third circle, at the bottom, encourages you to: Do what the world needs; and the last circle, just up from the bottom circle, teaches the lesson: Do what you can be rewarded for.
Part of each circle overlaps parts of the others, so that they meet in the center in a confluence. Where all four circles come together in the center is where the magic of Ikigai is realized.
Ikigai is an ancient philosophy created by the sages of Okinawa. Okinawa provided the philosophy, concept, and word Ikigai. This Venn diagram, however, is a modern interpretation provided by philanthropist Marc Winn. Marc is seldom given credit for his distillation of Ikigai, but he has provided a simple interpretation for millions to understand.
According to Marc, his idea for the Ikigai Venn diagram popped into his head in 2014. He was writing a blog post about Ikigai for his website. Marc had been inspired to write his post by Dan Buettner’s celebrated book about longevity called Blue Zones. In the book, Dan brought Ikigai to the attention of his readers when he described a village in Okinawa called Ogimi.
Ogimi is renowned for its elder citizens. They are respected and revered for their wisdom and health. A stone declaration stands in the village, proudly stating that the town is the village of longevity. The declaration reads, “At eighty years old, I am still a child. When I come to see you at ninety, send me away to wait for one hundred.” Ogimi is the home of many one-hundred-year-olds who have secrets to share and lessons to pass on about many things, including Ikigai.
Marc instinctively connected Dan Buettner’s longevity research in Ogimi and its unique perspective on Ikigai with another idea he had once come across. He recalled a Venn diagram of four circles arranged in a diamond pattern with the word “purpose” in the center. He changed purpose to “Ikigai.” That small one-word change would prove to be profound. Marc included his simplification of the Ikigai into a Venn diagram in his blog post. In the months and years that followed, his translation caught on like wildfire.
By Marc’s account, millions of people around the world now understand Ikigai since the diagram first went viral. He sees his interpretation pop up in books and articles every day. His act of symbolizing Ikigai in an easy-to-understand, relatable Venn diagram launched Ikigai into the consciousness of seekers of meaning around the globe. High five, Marc! You deserve far more credit than has come your way.
Ikigai is purpose. By exchanging one word, Marc Winn has given the world a great gift: a searchable infographic that is a simple map to life’s purpose.
Try doing a search for any of these terms on the internet:
Meaning of life
Life’s purpose
Job satisfaction
Career guide
Personal brand/branding
What makes life worthwhile
Meaningful life
How to find the meaning of life
What’s the meaning of life
Living a meaningful life
Every single one of those search terms will deliver a myriad of ideas, philosophies, and opinions. But if you do a search for Ikigai, there’s a good chance you’ll see Marc Winn’s simple Venn diagram that provides you with an easy-to-read map for Ikigai and life’s purpose. Marc made life’s purpose searchable.
Marc, your connection to purpose and Ikigai is masterful. Thanks for providing us with the Ikigai Venn diagram!
If Marc Winn’s Venn diagram made Ikigai user-friendly and searchable, then I hope this book makes Ikigai doable. Doing your Ikigai is essential to carrying out your long-term purpose. As you know, life doesn’t come with an owner’s manual. Through Ikigai, you are at last provided with a map that can lead you to your life’s purpose and everyday meaning.
Follow the map and you will discover your wonderful gifts. Your mission is to share these
