Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This companion guide to the ikigai philosophy offers a practical, exercise-driven approach to discovering your own reason for being. Where the original Ikigai book by García and Miralles focuses on the philosophy and examples from Okinawa, this guide helps you apply the concept directly to your own life through reflection exercises and structured questions.

What This Book Offers

The guide walks you through a series of reflective exercises designed to help you identify the four pillars of your ikigai:

• What you love — your passions and the activities that make you lose track of time
• What you are good at — your skills, talents, and natural strengths
• What the world needs — the problems you can solve and the value you can add to others
• What you can be paid for — the intersection of your skills and what the market values

Practical Exercises

The book includes journaling prompts, visualisation exercises, and structured frameworks for mapping your ikigai. It is designed to be worked through slowly and thoughtfully rather than read in one sitting.

Who Should Read This

Anyone at a crossroads — considering a career change, recovering from burnout, or simply feeling that something important is missing from their daily life. The exercises are gentle but genuinely revealing.

My recommendation: Best read alongside the original Ikigai. Use it as a workbook rather than a book to be read and set aside.