Of Running, Coffee and Ikigai
Questions I receive about Ikigai.
Photo by Jonas Jacobsson on Unsplash
Questions, I get questions…
One of the questions I am asked most frequently about Ikigai involves one of my passions, running.
“Do I have to run to live my Ikigai?”
No, you don’t have to run, drink coffee, or enjoy any other things I talk about or do.
I share examples because, without models, the understanding of Ikigai is reduced to self-help platitudes.
What does it mean to embrace your passion?
How do I explore aspects of the ‘real’ me?
How do I live in harmony in everything I do?
In context, those are helpful questions. I share my examples and life to add that context.
Try running (or something else)
I discovered my passion for running by first seeking fitness, only later finding a love for the sport.
There have been other fitness activities along the way. Running is the one that stuck with me.
With no races during the pandemic, I was forced to go deeper and explore running without an end goal or result.
Running for the sake of running.
With illness and injury, I was forced to go deeper still.
Running for the sake of connecting to myself.
Embrace a pleasure
My love of coffee came later to me than most people. 1
I love coffee, specifically espresso. A million people tell have told me I should open a coffee shop because of my love for coffee.
I have a passion for drinking good coffee. Not selling it and not running a store.2
Something to think about when pondering the connection of your passion to your purpose.
In the past several years, exploring different brewing methods and growing regions has added to my knowledge and experience of enjoying coffee.
Last year I was blessed with a connection to a Guatemalan coffee farmer named Pablo.
Here are pictures he sent of my coffee being processed end to end. Drying, roasting, blending beans and then being bagged and shipping.
Harmony
Ikigai is about experiencing your essence and purpose in harmony with whatever you do.
When building hobbies, practices, and habits, choose harmony over the content.
I like running and coffee. By aligning things you enjoy with what you do, you’ll find harmony and connect with your Ikigai.
"I love drinking coffee, not selling it or running a store."
Yes! How many times have we seen technicians that are really good at something creative, and they go into business and it ruins it for them. Loving a thing that is part of living into your purpose is not the same as making it your living.