Los Angeles Times bestseller*

&;If hygge is the art of doing nothing, ikigai is the art of doing something&;and doing it with supreme focus and joy.&; &;New York Post

Bring meaning and joy to all your days with this internationally bestselling guide to the Japanese concept of ikigai (pronounced ee-key-guy)&;the happiness of always being busy&;as revealed by the daily habits of the world&;s longest-living people.

What&;s your ikigai?

&;Only staying active will make you want to live a hundred years.&; &;Japanese proverb

According to the Japanese, everyone has an ikigai&;a reason for living. And according to the residents of the Japanese village with the world&;s longest-living people, finding it is the key to a happier and longer life. Having a strong sense of ikigai&;the place where passion, mission, vocation, and profession intersect&;means that each day is infused with meaning. It&;s the reason we get up in the morning. It&;s also the reason many Japanese never really retire (in fact there&;s no word in Japanese that means retire in the sense it does in English): They remain active and work at what they enjoy, because they&;ve found a real purpose in life&;the happiness of always being busy.

In researching this book, the authors interviewed the residents of the Japanese village with the highest percentage of 100-year-olds&;one of the world&;s Blue Zones. Ikigai reveals the secrets to their longevity and happiness: how they eat, how they move, how they work, how they foster collaboration and community, and&;their best-kept secret&;how they find the ikigai that brings satisfaction to their lives. And it provides practical tools to help you discover your own ikigai. Because who doesn&;t want to find happiness in every day?