Ikigai: Crafting a Life of Passion, Purpose, and Longevity, Inspired by Okinawan Wisdom

Unlock the secrets of a life brimming with happiness and longevity as we delve into the Japanese concept of Ikigai with insights from experts Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles. Imagine waking up each day fueled by a deep sense of purpose, seamlessly blending your passions with what the world needs, all the while sustaining your livelihood. This episode peels back the layers of Okinawan wisdom, where centenarians thrive, to reveal how aligning passion, vocation, profession, and mission can not only direct us toward a fulfilling existence but also teach us to contribute value to those around us.

Let's journey together through a conversation that intertwines the art of purposeful living with the practicality of daily habits that can extend our years. We take a page from Okinawa's book on longevity, discussing the principles of the Hara-hachi-bu diet and mindful eating practices, like savoring 'pasta al dente,' which promise not just added years to life but also enhanced quality. Beyond nourishment, we stress the significance of deep-rooted relationships and the impact of love and friendship on our health and well-being. It's not about ticking days off the calendar but infusing each one with moments that count.

Wrapping up, we navigate through the enchanting world of nature's healing powers and the uplifting practice of gratitude. Revel in how a simple gratitude journal can shift your perspective, bringing a surge of joy and abundance into your life. We also touch upon the magic of 'flow'—that elusive state where tasks become effortlessly engaging, refining our skills and amplifying our happiness. So, whether it's through gardening, martial arts, or any task that captures your full attention, this episode is your guide to embracing a lifestyle rich with meaningful activities and relationships, redefining retirement, and reshaping the relentless pursuit of a life well-lived.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:28

Hi guys, my name is Fabio from the Fabio podcast and welcome. Today we're gonna talk about this new book, and the name of the book is Ikigai. And what is it Ikigai? Ikigai is a way to find your purpose in your life, and I think this concept has a Good and strict correlation with success as well. That's the reason why I'm here to talk To you about it. So let's start. As you know, I like to read my summary via Storyshotscom, so if you like to subscribe there, please just join is totally free. And yeah, let's start. So, hmm, introduction and the Ikigai meaning. And yeah, ikigai, the Japanese secret to a long and happy life.

Speaker 1: 1:26

Why is Okinawa refer to as the island of almost eternal youth? Why is it home to so many Centenarians? Ikigai is at the heart of Okinawan culture and is one key to its health and prosperity. Okinawa is an island to the south of Mellon, japan, containing some of the world's longest living humans. On average, men live up to 84 years and woman until 90 years old. And, of course, doesn't matter if we are in Okinawa or wherever Woman always lives more than men. Okay, let's go.

Speaker 1: 2:13

Actor Garcia and Francisca Mirales lived among Okinawans and gained first-hand account of why these people are healthier, happier and live longer than anywhere else in the world. Researchers have identified that their diet, simple outdoor lifestyles and Subtropical acclimat are three reasons for their longevity. However, it is Ikigai that shapes their lives. Ikigai means to live and guy means reason. Therefore, ikigai is a reason to live. Each individual as Ikigai is Personal to them and specific to their lives, values and beliefs. It reflects the inner self and creates a mental state in which the individual feels at ease.

Speaker 1: 3:09

Okay about actor Garcia and Francisca Mirales. So who are these two people? Who are these writers? Let's see. Actor Garcia is a Japanese Spanish author who has written several books about Japanese culture, including two worldwide bestsellers a Jikin Japan and Ikigai. A former software engineer, actor worked at CERN in Switzerland before moving to Japan. He has now lived in Tokyo for over 16 years. Francisca Mirales is a Catalan international award-winning author of self-help and inspirational books. He's bestselling novel, love in lowercase has been translated into 20 languages. Mirales to lived in Okinawa in Japan. It was while living in Okinawa that actor Garcia and Francisca Mirales had the opportunity to interview more than 100 villagers about their philosophy for a long and happy life. Here are the 10 rules of Ikigai. So rule one find and follow your Ikigai.

Speaker 1: 4:13

The Japanese word Ikigai is a difficult word to translate. It roughly means a reason for being, and is often translated as a reason to live. In Okinawa, people view Ikigai as the why behind their daily life. It is important for them to find their Ikigai, and they understand that doing so will bring them happiness and fulfillment. Ikigai is the philosophy that blissfully gives them purpose until the end of their days.

Speaker 1: 4:47

In contrast, other cultures fall apart that society has created for them. We live by someone else's standards and set aside our own desires. Because of this, we rarely find our purpose and passions in life. As we all know, happiness relies on much more than just having a career and getting a paycheck. Likewise, only doing things we love or doing things we are good at is not enough to sustain us financially. Hence, once Ikigai lies at the center of four interconnecting circles. Each of these elements helps contribute to our happiness. All four are crucial to our reason for being. To help you live more mindfully and find your Ikigai, ask yourself these four questions what do I love? What am I good at? What does the world need from me? What can I get paid for? Finding and embracing your Ikigai is one of the first steps to a long, happy life. Without it, you'll wander through life holding onto material objects, memories from the past or other people. You'll jump from one goal to another, from one daily task to the next.

Speaker 1: 6:09

So this guy was the first rule, or the first chapter, and it's very beautiful, it's very important. I remember a couple of weeks ago I'm sure my fiancee recalled this we had a walk and there was A cemetery on our way. We were going to discover a new street in our new city and I say to myself it's so weird life. We were born and we die. At the end of the story, we were born and we die. So if there is a meaning about this, I think the only meaning is to find a purpose in our life. So the reason we are here and she was agree, and I mean I'm sure you also agree as well, if you think about it right In the middle between Born and die. Of course, there are so many things around these two, two fascinating and scary concepts, especially when we talk about the word die. But regardless that, I think the real meaning why we are here is because we, the real meaning why we are here is because we, we, we have to find our purpose in our life and to succeed and give value and teach to the people what we learned.

Speaker 1: 7:54

So how to find the ikigai? So we have this beautiful graph Diagram that you cannot see unless you subscribe. But just imagine, guys. So there is a ikigai in the center and then around ikigai we have four words passion, mission, profession and vacation. Around this world around passion, mission, profession and vacation we have Other words and are your strength. What you love the world needs, what you can be paid for, the world needs. I think that's what we were talking about before, right, so it's beautiful to find the purpose your life, but it's also beautiful to To teach the world what you learned. Let's see if it's true. So Story shots you take it slow.

Speaker 1: 9:18

Okinawa is known for its low-paced Way of life, peace way of life. Sorry. The people here are Passionate about everything they do, however insignificant it might seem. They strive to do their best in anything they do. This is because they have an ikigai, but while this is the case, they don't feel pressure by it and enjoy all day all that they do. They celebrate the time they have, even the little joints in life. Subsequently, music and dance are essential parts of daily living. Ikigai helps Okinawa residents be more mindful in their daily lives.

Speaker 1: 10:04

The concept of ikigai has its roots in Zen Buddhism, which Emphasizes the importance of living the present moment and keeping an open mind. For most of us, it's easy to get catch up in the hassle and bustle of everyday life and forget to slow down and be mindful. Technology has helped us save time, but we use our spare time to do other tasks instead of rest as lower peace. Life means taking time to enjoy your mornings instead of rushing to work in a frenzy. It means taking time to enjoy Whatever you are doing, to appreciate the outdoors and to focus on Whomever you're talking to. Slowing down is a conscious decision and not always an easy one. However, it leads to a greater appreciation for life and greater, greater happiness. Here we have a quote being in a hurry is inservially proportional to quality. Hector Garcia and Francis Mirales.

Speaker 1: 11:11

Beautiful concept, and you know my life, our life is so fast. We truly live in in a, in a generation where everything is on your plate and in social media and technology and you want to watch I don't know a movie bomb. You have Netflix or whatever streaming you you like to use I don't know, I can. I can go forward. I can say well, maybe you are not so patient to cook, well, you have a hello fresh, maybe you are not, so I don't know scale to do trading. I'm just making this example because I'm plotting again. Well, then you just space a one to you know to to trade for you.

Speaker 1: 12:09

All this way to go so fast, to achieve something in a fast way, makes you also feel like your life is getting fast as well. That's not good. I mean I'm talking about myself, guys. I'm doing so many things During my day, my, my, my week. Sometimes for me, a day looks an hour and a week looks a day. I mean when are we going in this way? What, what, what are we getting for in this way? I mean it's it's normal that then we are stressed and Overwhelmed and In a break point where you just want to rest on the couch and do nothing, because we do so much, we do so many things and it's not right.

Speaker 1: 13:10

I mean it's important to do. It's important to do things in life and especially to find your purpose in life right. Otherwise how can you, how you can, succeed in whatever you want to do, but the way we try to Achieve whatever we want to achieve is insane. It's insane, so it a balance. A balance Is a good way to a balance and also be consistent and patient is these are good ways to To approach, to approach the live and succeed something in your life Insta to I don't know, find shortcuts that burn you as as, as fast as possible and yeah, I don't know, I think, everything we do in our life and make some difference.

Speaker 1: 14:18

Well, I was making a coffee this morning, for example, and I decided to, you know, to, to, to, to load the flame as much as I could, and I was waiting, and I was waiting, and I was waiting and I was thinking like, hey, but this is not bad. Actually, I can enjoy a little bit of music. So, you know, I Turn on a Spotify jets music and there we go. I was just waiting. The coffee finally was out and I think was one of the best coffee I I had in Bo in months. Now. We had to slow down. It's important to work for us and To achieve whatever we want to achieve. It's important to use this technology that we have around, right, but we also have to learn how to Slow down. That's very important. Story. Shots tree, don't fail your stomach.

Speaker 1: 15:23

The okinawa diet. Okinawa is home to the largest population of Centenarians, people who have lived to the age of 100 or more. Okinawa has the highest concentration of centenarians in the world, with over 14 per 10,000 people. So what's the secret to their longevity? One factor may be their diet. The Okinawa diet includes at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, with small amount of fish and lean meat. Typical items include tofu, miso, bitter melon syrups, soy sprouts, peppers and green tea. They rarely eat sugar, and if they do, it's cane sugar. The average daily intake of an Okinawan is about 1,900 calories. This is significantly less than the average number of calories consumed by typical American. They also eat almost half as much salt as the rest of Japan 7 grams per day compared to an average of 12.

Speaker 1: 16:32

Hara-hachi-bu Okinawans also practice a Confucian teaching called Hara-hachi-bu. Hara-hachi-bu is a traditional Okinawan saying. That means eat until you are 80% full. The idea is that you should stop eating where you are no longer feeling hungry, rather than continue to eat until you feel stuffed. This philosophy of eating is based on the belief that it is better to stop eating before you feel too full, as it can lead to indigestion and the other health problem. It also supports Okinawans, with the highest percentage of centenarians in the world.

Speaker 1: 17:11

Ways to get started include eat slowly. Eating faster results in eating more. If we slow down, we will be mindful and allow our body to respond to cues telling us we are no longer hungry. Focus on food. If you are going to eat, just eat. This way you eat more slowly. Consume less and serve the food more. Eat small vessels. If you choose to eat on smaller plates and use tall, narrow glasses, your brain believes it's had more portion. You are likely to eat significantly less without even thinking about it. Don't believe me. Look at the size of your plates next time you are at Ono-lyokinit buffet. You'll see they are a lot smaller than the ones in your kitchen cabinet. Here we have another quote. An easy way to start applying the concept of arachibu is to skip dessert or to reduce portion size. The idea is to still be a little bit hungry when you finish Actu Garcia and Frasisk Mirales Also.

Speaker 1: 18:16

This is very important, very beautiful and with so much sugar. That's also true, and I was just reading something, guys, it's very important that I would like to let you know, yeah, this, eat slowly, focus on food and use small vessels. This is not so much different than our Italian culture, yeah, so we always say to eat slowly Because if you eat slowly it's also good for your digestive system. Yesterday even, still with my fiancé, she was asking me something hey, but why you guys eat like pastel dente? What is the meaning of pastel dente? She thought I didn't know the answer, but I knew it. And pastel dente is a way to well, it's also preference. But also with pastel dente you eat more slow and in this way you digest better your food and if you eat slow, you also have the perception that you are eating more than you used to do. So also have this concept of eat slowly and include, you know, vegetable fruits, where I'm sure that in Okinawan maybe they are better than us, for sure, because we eat maybe without, maybe with too much carb in my opinion in Italy, but they know how to balance the diet. You know I mean meat, seeds, green tea the green tea is so such good for so many reasons and fish, lean meat, you know, so meat that it's not that bloody like or fat like pork, for example. So it's very good diet and I don't know if you think about it. They don't do something extraordinary difficult. Yeah, they just reduce. They reduce a lot of useless things in their diet. I think for a good start for us, we've just to reduce trash food. You know, as much as we like it, this is gonna impact in our future.

Speaker 1: 21:07

Chapter four surround yourself with good friends, and this is so important. This is not the first time that I hear this like give love to people around you and do not be angry and be together with old friends. So do everything with love. It can make your life longer and it's weird concept, but yeah, evidently it's also here in a AkiGai topic. Let's see. What does it say?

Speaker 1: 21:46

So friendship is a close relationship between two people. It's based on mutual trust and respect. It's different from other relationships because it's a voluntary and it's built on shared experiences and common interest. In small neighborhoods across Okinawa, the concept of friendship is deep and close. Okinawa is a small island, so people here know each other well, so there is a strong sense of community and connectedness.

Speaker 1: 22:15

Okinawans believe true friends are those who stick by your throat thick and thin. These close relationships provide support and stability during good times and bad. As a result, okinawans place a lot of value on maintaining strong relationships with their friends. This is reflected in the way they interact every day. For example, okinawans often take the time to catch up with their friends over a cup of tea or coffee, and they are always willing to learn a listening ear. They also often go out of their way to help their friends, even if they are not asked to do so. This willingness to help others is one of the many things that make Okinawan culture so special, and they do this for their community, called Moai.

Speaker 1: 23:05

The term originated hundreds of years ago and traditionally meant a social supergroup for a village. Originally, moais were formed to pull the resource of an entire village for project or public works. Today, the idea has expanded to become more of a social support network, a cultural tradition for built-in companionship. Traditionally, five young children were dropped together and committed to living as a Moai as their second family. They regularly met with their Moai for work, play and pull resources. Some Moais have lasted over 90 years.

Speaker 1: 23:43

Research shows that friends can affect your health even more than family. People with the most friends tend to outlive those with the fewest by 22%. Keep in mind that this means real friends. The authors point out that Facebook friends and Twitter followers don't account. Oh wow, if you really have to write that it means that I don't know. It means that people have to know that that's not the case. That's very sad. So the key isn't to try to have several friends. Superficial and distant relationships will only lead to feelings over insecurity and loneliness. These emotions increase your risk of illness and death as much as obesity, alcoholism and smoking. The key is to have a tree or four good friends that care for you the same way you care for them. The easiest way to develop close friendship is to think about what you can do to help the people closest to you be happier.

Speaker 1: 24:47

Love it Smile. Can you imagine that? I mean the rule five of the Hikigai? It's smile. So let's see being from well. I smile a lot, so in the case I think I think I'm in a good point to live a little bit longer.

Speaker 1: 25:08

Being from Okinawa brings its challenges. The island is small and remote, which can sometimes make it difficult to access essential goods and services, and yet the people for Okinawa are some of the most sureful people you'll ever meet. Okinawans believe it's wise to recognize the things that aren't so great. For them, smiling is a way to stay positive and motivated. It's also a way to show strength in the face of adversity. One of the secrets of their long life is smiling and having a good time. This cheerful attitude is not only relaxing, but also helps them make new friends. There are no bars and only a few restaurants in Ojimi, a small village on the northern side of Okinawa. However, those who live in Ojimi enjoy a rich social life that revolves around community centers. Smiling those, more than tell other people, you're happy. Smiling lowers your heart rate and reduces blood pressure, while relaxing your body. A study from University College London found that cheerful people are 35% more likely to live longer. Another quote a happy man is to satisfy with the present, to dwell on the future. Ectogersia and Frasisk Mirales Talking about success.

Speaker 1: 26:26

Guys, if you are not negative on what you're doing, let's say that you are a student right now and your teacher, your professor, decide to reject your exam. I can make thousands of examples, but let's keep it easy. Well, for sure, it's going to be easier for you to smile. Well, don't smile in front of the professor, because then it's not good at all. But I mean, it's easy for you to smile and if you're still in the class, smile inside, but just smile and go forward. You know, take the punch and take the failure as, take that failure as something that you can learn from it and try again.

Speaker 1: 27:28

If you have a negative attitude about everything that you do in your life especially when we talk about projects that you open and they don't go well as much as you thought so, then you know, if you have a negative attitude and if you don't smile, if you don't are positive about it, you will not achieve your goal. Okay, and that's the reason why I really want to talk about this concept, because I don't know, it's a topic where you find a purpose in your life, but it also teaches you how to slow down and be consistent at the same time. Okay, if you try I'm talking this by my experience yeah, so if you try to do everything in one shot, because you know at the start we have this bench of enthusiasm when we start a project, so you try to I don't know open a canvas and make a design, and then you're going to sell, and then something goes wrong and then you don't have money, then you have to wait your next salary because you are out of budget, etc. Etc. Etc. Just an example. Let's say that you're making business card for some client, right? I don't know if you know canvas. It's just kind of an online editor for kind of Photoshop maybe. I don't know if someone wants to correct my thought, but let's say it's something good for project designing and something like that. And yeah, if you do everything in rush and then you reach this pitch where you used all your energy, then next day you're just tired, you just want to rest. You know, but if you go slow, if you slow down, slow down, slowing down doesn't mean that you have to stop. It doesn't mean that you have to. You know you have to stop your project. It means that you can make that project more consistent, you know. And when you slow down, your brain breath better and you can think better about how to achieve your next goal. And this is very important, very beautiful, and that's what in Okinawans people do. They try to live their life to achieve everything they can and everything they want, especially when we talk about their purpose, but they do in so such consistent and balanced way, you know, in a way like hey, okay, I didn't achieve tomorrow, but I'm gonna achieve in one year, I'm gonna achieve in 10 years, I'm gonna achieve in 20 years. And well, maybe they're not gonna achieve when they are 100 year old and they're happy. You know, let's go forward.

Speaker 1: 30:55

Chapter six reconnect with nature Gardening. In Okinawa, they say anyone who wants to grow old needs a niki guy or reason for living. Gardening gives you something good to get up for every day. In Okinawa, virtually everyone keeps a vegetable garden. What do you mean? It's virtually, let's see, and most of them also have a fields of tea, mangoes and shiku wasa. Getting together at the local market and sharing the, the produce from the garden, is an important social activity for Okinawans. This activity helps people feel connected and grounded, and that's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna do a video about the garden. People feel connected and grounded. A sense of connection to other people is essential, and so is their connection with nature. Our university study showed that people surrounded by lush greenery lived longer, with lower chance of developing cancer or respiratory illnesses. Everyone under studies have shown that being in nature, living near nature or even viewing nature can positively impact their lives. Spending time in nature, in particular, appears inherently rewarding, producing a cascade of positive emotions and calming our nervous system. This in turn helps us cultivate greater hop, hopness, creativity, connection, generosity and resilience.

Speaker 1: 32:30

Nature and cities. With more than half of the world's population living in cities, we have lost touch with nature. The rat race suck up our time and energy, leaving us feeling stressed, anxious or like we have lost meaning. Our lives revolve around paying bills, buying this we don't actually need drink to feel something and staring at the computer screen, even though we don't need to hunt for food anymore. There are easy ways to reconnect with nature. For example, grow a plant in your house, play with your pet, watch the sunrise, con a trek or sleep under the stars. Even if you can't or don't want to live your comfortable urban life, you can go on vacation, get out there and enjoy the wilderness. If you do that regularly, you will start to get drawn towards nature. When we take the time to slow down and appreciate the beauty of the natural world, we can remember what is truly important in life.

Speaker 1: 33:31

Story shot seven, so rule seven give thanks. The people of Okinawa give thanks for the smallest of things. They thank their ancestors, nature for providing the air and food, and their family and friends. They even have a special Naha took off war festival to thank for a good harvest. Gratitude has consistently been associated with positive outcomes. One study conducted by the University of Berkalei, california, dvd participants into three groups and asked them to maintain the journal for 10 weeks. One group was asked to write a list of 10 circumstances they were grateful for over the past week. The second group was asked to list 10 minors annoyances in the past week. The third group was asked to write about 10 factors that impacted their lives in the past week, but with no further direction. At the end of the 10 weeks, people from the first group report a feeling 25% happier than the other groups. Apart from encrising your happiness level, gratitude also improves your physical health at lower stress levels stresses associated with heart attacks and other chronic conditions but can be reduced by adopting gratitude and encouraging optimism. Optimism increases immune boosting cells. People who express gratitude are more likely to report higher levels of well-being and satisfaction with their lives. They are also more likely to experience less stress and anxiety and be more resilient in the face of diversity.

Speaker 1: 35:13

You can start being grateful by keeping a gratitude journal. Every day, pick three to five things that you are thankful for and write them down. You could be grateful for your friends, your family, your material God or your health. When we are genuinely thankful and we feel deep inside us, we are grateful, and that's something that I do. I didn't know that was also an Aikigai concept Be grateful. It's so powerful.

Speaker 1: 35:43

When you are grateful, let's move a little bit to this topic, to the low attraction. When you are grateful to the universe, to the nature, the universe, the natural God gives you more. It gives you more because you are grateful about something that you have already and I don't know. It looks like that universe say to you oh, I'm happy, you are grateful about the job that I'm doing for you. You know what I'm going to give you more.

Speaker 1: 36:18

This is such a beautiful concept, and also the fact that it's important to keep a gratitude journal. It's so beautiful for two reasons. It's beautiful if you are grateful about something that you have and that you are doing, or about something that you received, because in this way, especially in the darkest moment, if you read back the gratitude journal, you understand how much your life is actually good, is actually beautiful. I mean, let's be honest, you are here in front of me. Well, I just imagined that you are here in front of me, since we're talking about the podcast. But maybe you are in a car right now or you are listening a podcast your house with your iPhone, and I don't know. You are just maybe somewhere in a park or in a beautiful city or in a vacation or in a country.

Speaker 1: 37:32

We are not grateful enough, guys. Wherever you are right now and I mean if you are listening this episode it means that you have the tools, the money, the healthy to do so, and this is such a beautiful thing. It's important to be grateful. We are not enough. We are not grateful enough for what the life offers us every time, and Ike Gai concepted something, that advice to do so Be grateful, be grateful. So it's such a beautiful word Grateful gratitude, such beautiful words.

Speaker 1: 38:24

Talking about my gratitude book, I write five things about I'm grateful for, but also five things that didn't happen yet. You know just a little bit of low attraction, and it's always a good point to look back when they say hey, actually I realized this. Regardless that it's important to be grateful. So story shows. So rule eight exercise.

Speaker 1: 38:56

You know, when people over 18, 90 years old are still highly active, they don't stay at home sitting watching TV, they walk a lot, do karaoke with their neighbors and get up early in the morning. Okinawans don't go to the gym or exercise intensely, but they rarely stop moving during their daily routines. With regular access to sunshine and exercise, they're healthier, with stronger bones, high vitamin levels and brighter moods. In addition to their healthy diet and active social lives, okinawans still talk or bike to work or run runs. Many also participate in traditional dance or martial arts. They stay busy with gardening, walking and other activities. This lifestyle helps keep their bodies strong and their minds sharp.

Speaker 1: 39:48

Most of us know that we should exercise more, but there always seem to be something more pressing that demands our attention. Whatever the reason, the bottom line is that most of us could benefit from exercising more. As Japanese centenarians show, all you need is light, regular moving your day. Practicing any Eastern discipline like yoga, kikong and tai chi is an excellent way to see karma in between your body and mind. In doing so, you can face the world with strength, joy and serenity. These gentle exercises offer extraordinary health benefits and are suitable for anyone who struggles to stay fit. Story shots 9 live in the moment. Flow stayed in Okinawa. Japanese professionals are renowned for their perseverance and absorption in their tasks with thorough attention to detail. We see this in several contents, from the old people of Okinawa working under garden to college students studying diligently in libraries. They are always in their flow.

Speaker 1: 40:59

Flow is the state in which people are so involved in activity that nothing else seems to matter. It is characterized by a sense of focus and effortless concentration. It is often associated with positive experience, such as peak performance, and experience itself becomes highly enjoyable. Imagine yourself climbing a tall mountain. You are aware of every placement of your food. There is no room for error. Wallops and attention can cost you your life. You focus intensely and each move is deliberate. Nothing exists but you and this mountain. Time seems to slow down. Your mind shifts into new space. Your flow state is the sense of vibrancy, of being alive, connectedness and peace that permeates your being. You are in the zone. This is the moment. There is no past, no future just now. It takes a lot of practice and focus to get into flow state, but once you experience, you understand why it is so important. I have two quotes here. Concentrating on one thing at a time may be the single most important factor in achieving flow. Still from the writer Hector Garcia and Francisca Merales, and from the same writers we have another quote the happiest people are not the ones who achieve the most, they are the ones who spend more time than others in a state of flow.

Speaker 1: 42:37

The state of flow is a very interesting concept. It's something that I used to talk once ago. When we are not in a state of flow, so when we are not even in our comfort zone, we are out of this line, and the name of this line is learning zone. So in the learning zone is where you learn everything, as much as you can to achieve whatever you want to achieve Right. Once you are in this learning zone, there is a point where you go inside another zone, another area. This area is called comfort zone. Of course, we know the concept of comfort zone, but what people don't know is that before a comfort zone, there is always a learning zone line. Okay, but between the learning zone and the comfort zone, there is a moment where you are very, a moment where you are very extra focus in a comfortable way, and that's the flow, that's the flow area. So the flow area is, I think is, the most powerful, beautiful and the fascinating thing in the world when we talk about success, when we are in the flow area, we were no stress time. Yes, goes fast, but goes fast in a no stressful way. You are in another dimension, another space and in that space, in that universe of knowledge, you understand more than you used to do. And how can you reach this flow state where what I think is we have not to get so much stress to go there, because once we go inside this area, we just enanged our skills and it's powerful, beautiful and so painless. Why use the word painless? Because most of the times when we try to achieve something after a while we consume so much energy then at the end we just burn out right, but this doesn't happen when we are in the flow. So let's go Flow state.

Speaker 1: 45:25

During mundane tasks, not everyone can climb a mountain, so let's bring the flow state closer to ourselves. Let's say you are doing an urgent work task and you find yourself losing focus. There are many things you can do to help reel yourself in, such as unplugging from social media, taking a break or refocusing all your attention on the present moment. The most effective way to achieve flow is by starting with a task you know how to do well, then moving on to more, then moving on to more challengings. One Choosing a task that's difficult will only frustrate you and cause you to stop, and those interrupt your flow. If you go for one that is too easy, you will be bored and again stop at that point. However, if you make a list of tasks for yourself and consider the energy you will need to accomplish them, you will be more likely to achieve a flow state. That is actually what I say before right, so it's truly between a comfort zone and the learning zone. And because when we are in the learning zone, of course it's a moment where you learn a lot, but you're losing a lot to your brain, your energy, your enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is a good thing, but it's not unlimited, you know. Then eventually you can burn out, but if you are too much in a comfort zone, you don't learn anything. So reach the flow area. The flow zone is very powerful.

Speaker 1: 47:05

Build gates. We can also use this strategy. Why build gates? Let's see, we can also use this strategy to achieve flow and do it the most mundane tasks like washing dishes or doing paperwork. Build gates. Wash the dishes every night. He says he enjoys it as it helps him relax and clear his mind. Crucially, he tries to do it a little better each day. Build follows an established order or set of rules he's made for himself Plates first, frog second, et cetera. It's one of his daily moment of a micro flow. We can also enjoy this mundane task by attempting to do them better than we did the last time. Flow is like a muscle the more you train it, the more you will flow, hence the closest you will be to your ikikai. I love this ikikai Rule 10, never retire.

Speaker 1: 48:03

In Okinawa, there is no word for retirement. Older Okinawans can readily articulate the reason they get up in the morning they live intentional, purposeful lives, they feel needed, they matter and they contribute. Subsequently, they live longer the most. The idea is to keep your mind and body active, to fill yourself with purpose and the ikikai daily. We consider retirement to be the ultimate destination of a well earned rest from the battlefield of a career. We see retirement as golden age for holidays and gold. However, retirement kills your ikikai. We need to stop spending so much time worrying about making more money and our eventual retirement. Instead, we should focus our effort on building a fantastic life while still having the time. So never retire, keep learning, keep changing and keep growing. We have another quote from the same writers Present with new information, the brain creates new connections and is revitalized. This is why it is so important to expose yourself to change, even if stepping outside your comfort zone means feeling a bit of anxiety.

Speaker 1: 49:21

And about this rule, there is no word for retirement. I think it's true, and I think maybe one of the reasons why we're so stressed in our generation is because we really want to do everything fast. We want to do money, we want to do career, we want to do debt, because later than we have a good vacation, we retire better. But this brings so much anxious, and as I said before, I'm gonna say now as well, I can talk from myself, from my point of view. That was my mentality. It is still a little bit in me, something that I'm learning when trying to change. And I mean you have to live your life and you have to find a purpose in something that can make you happy forever. Because, listen, if you are looking for something that make you retire, that's not the purpose of your life, that's the I don't know. That's just your purpose of to retire one day in a better way. So get stress for the first 10, 20, 30 years and then say, okay, maybe it was worth at the end. But we don't know if it was worth at the end. That's the point. But for sure we know that it's worth if you really find the purpose of life and to be happy with it. Because, listen, if you find something that makes you happy, you don't need to retire earlier. You're just you're gonna do because you like it. You know, if your purpose is just to give value to the people from things that you learn in your life, you are not going to stop on your 60, 50, 60, or 70 year old because you say you're so okay, you say, well, I'm job, guys, I'm retired. No, you just want to continue. You want to give value as much as you can, as much as you alive. So beautiful, beautiful, beautiful book.

Speaker 1: 51:42

Final summary and review of IkiGai. Here are the key insight and 10 rules of IkiGai review. Find and follow your IkiGai. First, take it slow. Second, don't feel your stomach. Third point. The fourth point we have surround yourself with good friends. Fifth point we have smile. Sixth point we have reconnect with nature. So, in point, we have give thanks. Eighth point we have exercise. Nine point we have live in the moment. And then point we have never retire.

Speaker 1: 52:15

And I have the last, the last, the last word from from the writers. They say life is not a problem to be solved. Just remember to have something that keeps you busy doing what you love, why you are surrounded by the people who you love. That's what we said before and with these guys I leave you. It's a beautiful book. I never read the entire book. I'm sure I'm gonna do soon because it's too much beautiful. I don't know what can offer. Still the book. This was just a summary, so I'm very curious and, as I said before, you can just subscribe on StoryShotscom. You have my referral link if you like to have a check. It's totally free. And yeah, and see you next time on our next episode. Cheers.