Ikigai Redux

All I see here are WINS.

I have more thoughts on ikigai, the Japanese term for finding a meaningful purpose in life, which I am happy to say is not restricted to that Venn diagram floating around out there encouraging you to find a high-paying job that doesn’t kill your soul.

In my last blog post I suggested that as Lichtenbergians we can find joy and meaning in the simple pleasures we choose to welcome into our lives, not just the major high points of our creative process. Today, I’d like to revisit the idea to make sure that we all understand that our creative process (and any products) can also be ikigai.

In other words, all the daydreaming, the sketching, the scribbling in WASTE BOOKS, the “piddling”: those are also the simple pleasures which help give our lives joy and meaning. Even if — as is usually the case — our piddlings don’t result in stunning masterpieces — or even finished products — that’s not a bad thing. If you’re keeping score [ED. NOTE: WHY ARE YOU KEEPING SCORE? HAVE YOU NOT READ A THING I’VE SAID?] then all your piddlings should go in the Wins column.

I hope this clarifies matters. Now get back to work.