050 | 💡 Ikigai and finding fulfilment

March 22, 2022

Ahoy muchachos,

Spring is finally about to Spring and I cannot deny how good it makes me feel. I’m sure I’m not the only one.

But of course, what’s even better than Spring? This weekly email of course!

💭 Two things you need to know:

💡 Ikigai

After previously mentioning the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery (Kintsugi), here’s another cool Japanese concept: Ikigai 生き甲斐.

It means ‘a reason for being’ and refers to the sense of purpose that we are all looking for in life.

Ikigai describes when you combine:

  • A personal passion (something you love doing)...

  • ...that you are good at...

  • ...which the world needs...

  • ...(and as a result) you can be paid for it

Combining these elements brings deep fulfilment - satisfaction and meaning.

Why am I telling you this?

Well, as BBC Worklife puts it:

Essentially, ikigai is the reason why you get up in the morning.

I enjoy reading and writing about ways to become happier and more fulfilled - this is certainly a good direction to follow.

Reaching ikigai - a combination of all four elements - is as unlikely as it is difficult.

But I think there’s a lot to be taken from the following intersections:

  • What are you good at, and can be paid for? Profession

  • What are you good at, and love? Passion

💰 Simple investment advice from Warren Buffett

I’m no personal finance whizz, as mentioned a few weeks ago.

But, I was very impressed by You’re Not Broke, You’re Pre-Rich (Emilie Bellet) which I finished over the weekend.

So here’s another tip from the book.

It’s a piece of advice that really struck me when it comes to investing - something a lot of us are often wary of.

Warren Buffett - one of the most successful investors ever and also chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway - is also a champion of passive investing. In his 2013 Berkshire Hathaway letter to shareholders he is very clear about what he thinks of index funds: 'The goal of the non-professional should not be to pick winners - neither he nor his "helpers" can do that - but should rather be to own a cross-section of businesses that in aggregate are bound to do well. A low-cost S&P 500 index fund will achieve this goal.'

Index funds give the investor exposure to a huge range of businesses (giving some diversification) which are likely to increase in value as a whole.

The reason for this - also pointed out by Warren Buffett - is that the stock market (e.g. S&P 500) is made up of the best and brightest companies in the country. It’s in their interest, and their nature to innovate and increase in value.

✅ Two Recommendations:

📽 Struthless (Youtube channel) - If self-improvement and life advice from a funny, interesting and unique man called Campbell Walker is your bag, then boy is this the channel for you.

What’s great about his channel is that his advice clearly comes from a lot of lived experience - it’s not an off-the-shelf book translated into a video with no personality or relevance.

When I write my emails, I am more of a synthesiser, in the sense that I consume and share things that I think are useful. Like anyone, I have a lot of my own opinions and life lessons - perhaps I should share them a bit more, as it’s what I think makes his channel great.

Given I’ve mentioned it twice in the past three weeks, it makes sense that I recommend this excellent book.

It’s a very important and brilliantly written, readable book and all things personal finance. Required reading for anyone below the age of 30 - though still with loads of useful information for anyone above.

💬 And finally, two quotes

You have to be curious about the world in which you live. Look things up.

— Steal Like An Artist! - Austin Kleon

And as always, feel free to reply to this email if you found this useful!

Thanks!

If you found this interesting and useful, feel free to subscribe. I send emails like this every Tuesday.

And as always, feel free to reply to these email if you found this useful!

In the meantime, you can find me on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, and have a look at what I’m reading on Goodreads.

📸 BONUS: Photo of the Week