If you would like to enjoy happiness, prosperity, and success, you better have a life worth living.
You could be the richest and most prosperous person on the planet, but if you are not happy you are poor. In every sense of the word.
All the accomplishments, awards, and titles are great for the ego, but come up short for a life worth living.
What is a life worth living, you ask?
It’s a great question.
Conventional wisdom and the so-called experts tell you to go to school, get an education, and work to be happy.
Social media tells you that travel, luxury homes, and expensive toys make you happy.
And social programming tells you to be responsible and get that j.o.b. so you can provide for yourself and family.
When it comes to enjoying a life worth living, know this and knows this well.
Conventional wisdom, the so-called experts, social media, and social programming are wrong.
All day.
Everyday.
[tweet_box design=”default” url=”http://jef.tips/lwl16″ float=”none”]If you’d like to enjoy a life worth living, you must combine success with fulfillment.[/tweet_box]
Sounds good, you say, but how do you do it?
Another great question.
The great news is there’s an ancient tradition that when followed will have you with a life worth living.
What is this and what do you need to do?
Keep reading.
Download my Cheat Sheet Create A Life Worth Living If You Want To Be Successful And Happy
A Life Worth Living Tip 1: Cracking The Ikigai Code
When you crack the code on Ikigai, you open yourself up to a life worth living.
What is Ikigai, you ask?
Ikigai originates from Japan and sounds like ‘aki-gay-aai.’
According to Japanese culture, everyone has an Ikigai. It’s up to you to find your Ikigai to unlock meaning to your life so you can live a life worth living.
By the way, if you have your North Star, One Thing, or Definiteness of Purpose, you’re practicing Ikigai.
You can read more about those concepts here, here, and here.
A life worth living has you enjoying a long a meaningful life because you have a reason for getting up in the morning.
You have a purpose.
Gordon Mathews is the authority on Ikigai. Long before Ikigai became popular, Mathews was teaching and writing about it.
If you’re serious about success, Mathews’ book, What Makes A Life Worth Living, is amust-read.
Mathews sums up Ikigai when he says,
“Ikigai is not something grand or extraordinary. It’s something pretty matter-of-fact.”
It shouldn’t surprise you, my dear reader, that the simple things are the best.
Ikigai is no different.
If you want a life worth living, how do you incorporate Ikigai into your life?
It’s a great question, my dear reader, that deserves an answer.
Let’s start with an example followed by a story.
For the example, let’s turn to the birthplace of Ikigai.
Japan.
A Life Worth Living Tip 2: Lessons From Japan
The measure of achievement is not winning awards. It’s doing something that you appreciate, something you believe is worthwhile. – Julia Child
Commissioning editor of Telegraph Weekend, Tom Ough pens a great article on Ikigai.
Ough shares that in Japan the secret to health and happiness is through Ikigai.
A person has a group of five or six friends. These friends are for life and help one another as needed.
Five or six friends.
Interesting.
Rich and successful people know they’re the average of the five people they spend the most time with.
Coincidence?
Not a chance. You can read more about the mindset of successful people here.
In Japan, the focus is on the work itself because work gives fulfillment.
And it’s your work that helps develop a sense of oneness to your role.
The concept of work in Japan is serious business. Hence the reason why the Japanese have no word for retirement.
Ough points out that in our culture retirement is usually followed by an earlier death.
To have a life worth living, you must find work that brings meaning to your life.
Surround yourself with five or six friends that help you realize your potential.
[tweet_box design=”default” url=”http://jef.tips/lwl16″ float=”none”]The only difference between work and play is purpose.[/tweet_box]
Find your purpose, your Ikigai, and you’re well on your way to a life worth living.
How do you find your Ikigai, you ask, so you can live a life worth living, thrive, and prosper?
Another great question.
And the answer is the focus of the next section.
A Life Worth Living Tip 3: Four Questions To Help You Thrive And Prosper
[tweet_dis url=”http://jef.tips/lwl16″]To live a life worth living ask yourself the right questions to discover the right answers.[/tweet_dis]
The entire concept of Ikigai focuses on four questions.
You Ikigai is at the intersection of the answers to all four questions.
The four questions to ask yourself and answer are:
- Look at yourself and ask what do you love?
- Think about what you excel in and ask what are you good at doing?
- Look around you and ask what does the world need from you?
- What can you get paid for doing?
Four questions.
Four answers.
Ikigai.
Do this, and you enjoy a life worth living.
A life filled with happiness, success, and prosperity.
Because the concept of Ikigai is simple, it’s easy to distort and complicate it.
To ensure you ‘get it,’ let me share a beautiful story that illustrates Ikigai and enjoying a life worth living.
Download my Cheat Sheet Create A Life Worth Living If You Want To Be Successful And Happy
A Life Worth Living Tip 4: A Story On Creating A Life Worth Living
Some people die at 25 and aren’t buried until 75. – Benjamin Franklin
The story below (author unknown) illustrates the simplicity, power, and beauty of Ikigai.
In a small village outside of Osaka, a woman in a coma was dying. She suddenly had a feeling that she was taken up to heaven and stood before the Voice of her ancestors.
“Who are you?” the Voice said to her.
“I am the wife of the mayor,” she replied. “I did not ask whose wife you are but who you are.” “I am the mother of four children.” “I did not ask whose mother you are, but who you are.” “I am a school teacher.” “I did not ask what your profession is but who you are.”
And so it went. No matter what she replied, she did not seem to give a satisfactory answer to the question, “Who are you?”
“I am a Shinto.” “I did not ask what your religion is but who you are.” “I am the one who wakes up each day to care for my family, and nurture the young minds of the children at my school.”
She passed the examination, and was sent back to earth. The next morning she woke at sunrise, feeling a deep sense of meaning and purpose. She tended to her children’s lunches, and planned fun lessons for her students that day. The woman had discovered her ikigai.
A Life Worth Living Tip 5: What Do You Love To Do?
Man is only great when he acts from passion. – Benjamin Disraeli
Passion.
[tweet_box design=”default” url=”http://jef.tips/lwl16″ float=”none”]Passion is your rocket fuel to success, prosperity, and riches. If you have no passion, you have no game.[/tweet_box]
It’s little wonder that finding out how you can live a life worth living starts with passion.
So my dear reader, what do you love to do?
If you’re having trouble answering this, try this question on for size.
If you had all the money in the world and could do anything, anything at all, what would you do?
What excites you?
What energizes you?
Do you get excited about something before you even start?
The answer to those questions is the key to finding your passion.
But let’s be clear on one thing.
As important as passion is, passion on its own is not enough for success.
Trust me, I should know.
I was that kid right out of school with no money, experience, or team.
Despite the odds, I built a profitable eight-figure business.
Passion was a huge part of my success. But passion wasn’t enough to get me from zero to hero.
That said, everything you need to know about passion and success is here. And if you’re wondering what rich and successful people DON’T do, click here.
Now that you’ve identified what you’re good at, congratulations! You’re one step closer to finding your Ikigai and a life worth living.
You’re on a roll. Let’s keep going.
A Life Worth Living Tip 6: What Are You Good At Doing?
The hardest step she ever took was to blindly trust in who she was. – Atticus
If you’re chasing after success, listen up and stop.
Stop and think.
Ask yourself what are you good at doing?
Chances are you’ve been duped and lied to by the so-called experts and conventional wisdom.
[tweet_box design=”default” url=”http://jef.tips/lwl16″ float=”none”]Focusing on your weaknesses is a game for fools. Winners play to their strength. All day. Every day.[/tweet_box]
And so should you.
Read all about playing to your strengths here and here.
You’ll thank me later.
How do you play to your strengths?
You find out what you’re good at doing.
Scratch that.
Find out what you’re great at doing.
Aside from money, what the difference between a billionaire and a pauper?
Billionaires figure out what they’re good at doing.
Paupers never do.
[tweet_dis url=”http://jef.tips/lwl16″]You are born with talents and skills, that when discovered and acted upon, unlock the gates of success.[/tweet_dis]
Ask yourself what compliments you always receive from people.
Hidden within these compliments are the things you’re great at doing.
Got it?
Great.
You’re ready to tackle the third question of Ikigai to unlock a life worth living.
A Life Worth Living Tip 7: What Does The World Need From You?
A problem well stated is a problem half solved. – Charles Kettering
Success comes from helping people solve problems.
Not any problem.
Painful problems.
Google took the pain out searching the web. Ask Google your question, and you get an accurate answer from a safe website.
Netflix eliminated the pain out of late fees for DVD rentals. A short while later changed the game with instant movie streaming.
Amazon removed the pain of overpaying for products, expensive shipping fees, and delays. Online shopping with Amazon is as easy as a click of a button.
[tweet_box design=”default” url=”http://jef.tips/lwl16″ float=”none”]At the intersection of your passion and solving massive problems is massive success.[/tweet_box]
All you need to know about how to make more money by solving massive problems is here.
You now know what you love to do and what you’re good at doing.
Now ask yourself what problems you can solve that you’re passionate about solving.
Don’t let the simplicity of this exercise fool you.
I built a profitable eight-figure business by finding a problem I was passionate to solve.
And believe me, if I can do it, so can you.
A Life Worth Living Tip 8: What Can You Get Paid For?
I will solve your problem and you will pay me. – Paul Rand
The fourth and final question of Ikigai is finding problems that you’ll get paid for solving.
How do you become fabulously rich and successful?
Find enough people who will pay you for solving a painful problem.
But here’s the key.
You’re paid to solve problems you love to solve with your best talents and skills.
It’s at this precise point that you’re at the intersection of Ikigai’s four questions.
Ikigai represents the sweet spot of success, and it doesn’t get any better.
You have a life worth living through activities that you get you out of bed every day.
People helped.
Lives changed.
Problems solved.
Money made.
And when you do it right, your passion and love of the people you’re helping is more important than the money.
Oprah Winfrey, Richard Branson, and Warren Buffett would agree.
All three of these billionaire rock stars could have retired years ago.
But they didn’t because they love what they do.
Will you have rough days?
Count on it.
Will you love what you’re doing every day?
Not a chance. There’ll be days that you’ll want to do anything but what you’re doing.
What keeps you in the game is your passion for solving problems with your natural talents.
Ikigai.
A life worth living.
Why A Life Worth Living Unlocks Your Floodgate of Success
Success and happiness are not matters of chance but choice. – Zig Ziglar
Success. Happiness. Prosperity.
The holy trinity of a life worth living.
Easier said than done.
Success transcends time and culture.
Rich and successful people have figured out what most people haven’t.
Read more about the habits of rich and successful people here, here, and here.
A life worth living is knowing what not to do as much as what to do.
Ikigami focuses you on your passion and strengths needed to solve painful problems.
When problems are painful, people are only too happy to pay you to get them out of their misery.
It’s a win-win.
More important than the money is the fact that you love what you’re doing.
I’ve won big.
I’ve lost big.
After I built an eight-figure company, I turned around and built a seven-figure company. But seven figures of losses.
Why the loss after such a big win?
I lost my Ikigami.
It was all greed and ego. A painful but well-deserved lesson.
And the takeaway for you, my dear reader, is a profound but simple one.
Know what you love.
Remember what you’re good at doing.
Focus on areas you excel in.
Solve problems you’re passionate to solve for people who will pay you to help them live a better life.
Do this, and you enjoy a life worth living.
All day.
Everyday.
Download my Cheat Sheet Create A Life Worth Living If You Want To Be Successful And Happy
Conclusion
A life worth living ensures you have the success that’s fulfilling.
Afterall, success without fulfillment is misery.
You’ve learned the four questions you must master to welcome a life worth living:
- If you could do anything, what do you love to do?
- Think of activities you excel in and ask yourself what are you good at doing?
- Look around and ask what does the world need from you?
- Ask yourself what can you get paid for doing?
Your success sweet spot, your Ikigai, is the intersection of these questions.
And it works.
Trust me, I should know.
I was the kid right out of school with no money, experience, or team.
Despite the odds, I built a profitable eight-figure EdTEch business.
What I’ve shared in this article is no theory. You have full access to my in-the-trenches experiences.
I’ve done the heavy lifting, so you don’t have to.
How did I achieve success when I was failing (a lot), you ask?
First I took inventory of what I love doing. Next, I discovered the tasks I excel in.
I channeled these two areas to find a problem affecting many people that I was passionate to solve.
And last, but not least, I ensured enough people were willing to pay me to solve their problem.
If I can do it, so can you.
And you can start right now.
Answer the first question. When you’re done, move on to the next question until you’ve finished all four questions.
Take your time. Be patient. Be persistent.
You may not know it, but your success is waiting for you.
So what are you waiting for?
Here’s to you and your success!
Your Raving Fan,
Jeffrey Feldberg
Today, Feldberg's passion is helping you extract your deep wealth. The 90-day Deep Wealth Mastery program helps create a solid foundation for three areas: increasing profits to enterprise value and optimizing post-exit life. Deep Wealth Mastery offers strategies and insights drawn from Feldberg's rich experience. The strategies from the trenches get results. Jeffrey's vision is to increase the social fabric of society one entrepreneur at a time.
Learn more through https://iapdw.com/prosper
