Book Review: Ikigai by Hector Gracía and Francesc Miralles
Written by Safa Alhassan
Life in Nigeria already feels like a daily marathon, so when I picked up Ikigai by Hector Gracía and Francesc Miralles , I couldn’t help but wonder: can this concept of purpose and calm living really fit into our kind of reality? Or is it one of those beautiful ideas that sound good on paper but struggle in practice?
First, let me explain in simple terms what Ikigai means. It is a Japanese concept about finding your reason for living and your purpose in life. Why are you here? What is your “why”? What are you even doing with your life? You get the idea.
However, Ikigai is built on four simple elements. First you need to find what you love, then what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. When these four come together, that’s when you’ve found your Ikigai, your reason for living.
These four are not separate destinations; they overlap, and it’s in that overlap that your Ikigai is found.
So, for example:
- If you’re doing what you love and what you’re good at, but the world doesn’t need it, then it’s just a hobby.
- If you’re doing what the world needs and can be paid for, but you don’t love it, it’s simply a job.
- If you’re doing what you love and what the world needs, but you can’t be paid for it, then it becomes a mission.
- If you’re doing what you’re good at and what you can be paid for, but it doesn’t excite you, it turns into just a profession.
Your Ikigai is the sweet spot where all four meet. What you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for. That’s where fulfilment feels most whole. I feel like people sometimes confuses this. They assume that if you can tick off each of the four elements individually, then you’ve already found your Ikigai. But no, that’s not how it works.
Also basically, the idea of Ikigai is summed up in ten simple rules. It encourages you to stay active and never fully retire from life, to take things slowly, and to eat in moderation and stopping before you’re completely full. It reminds you to surround yourself with good friends, keep your body moving and in shape, and to smile often. It urges you to reconnect with nature, to live with gratitude, and to stay present in the moment. Above all, it calls you to follow your Ikigai which is your reason for living and you should keep doing it no matter how small it may seem.
It’s a great concept, but I had reservations. Let me start with what I found useful. One of the strongest messages from the book is the need to be serious with yourself, love yourself and be comfortable with who you are. The part I love most is how self-serving it is in the best way possible. It’s about shutting off all unnecessary noise and putting yourself first, without second-guessing your worth or tiptoeing through life like a stranger. It also means cutting off all the shitty people without remorse, refusing to keep friends just for the sake of it, and choosing instead to keep only good people around you while being fully satisfied with yourself.
When you find what you love to do, it fuels you and it gives you strength to keep going. However, i don’t completely accept that as a universal truth, but I’ll come back to that later.
What I do agree with is that as I’ve grown older, I’ve seen the value of being in tune with myself. Finding my Ikigai or recognising it has been one of the most self-preserving decisions I’ve made. There is peace in keeping that part of yourself private. Honestly, I’d rather enjoy my own company and do this thing that I find fulfilling than keep company with people who drain me or just keep doing what i do not love. That is the truth. And when you think of mental health, that makes a lot of sense.
The book also argues that finding your purpose gives you an edge because you become your own person, less reliant on others for fulfilment. According to the research in the book, this is also tied to longevity. The authors interviewed centenarians, and many of them shared similar habits: they loved themselves, ate well, took walks, rested properly, and treated their bodies with respect.
Reading it made me reflect deeply on my own life. It pushes you to sharpen your gifts or develop something you can thrive on. I especially liked the part about solitude being strength. There were also stories of craftspeople, like a woman who devoted her life to weaving or making objects with care and precision. That level of integrity and excellence resonated with me. It reminded me of the peace that comes with slowing down and shutting out unnecessary outside noise.
Now to where I disagree. The book seemed to suggest that purpose alone is the key to inner peace. I find that difficult to accept. In reality, nothing truly fills the void in us permanently. Human wants are endless. Each time you achieve something, you eventually move on to the next pursuit. That is why even the wealthiest or most famous people, who supposedly “have it all,” still struggle with depression, broken relationships, or worse. Fulfilment comes, but it is often short-lived.
Whatever your definition of success is; longevity, wealth, influence, it is not enough on its own. The only lasting cure for that emptiness, in my view, is grounding our hearts in something deeper than achievements or fleeting purpose. To attach yourself completely to something momentry is, in my opinion, a mistake. This is why I couldn’t embrace Ikigai completely, even though I appreciated parts of it.
And if we bring it home, how practical is Ikigai in Nigeria? In a society where systems constantly fail, where daily survival is already a battle, applying such a concept feels unrealistic. Yet, I won’t dismiss it entirely. At the end of the day, finding peace or purpose begins from within. The question is: how many of us are truly honest, kind, and empathetic with ourselves? The answer lies in the state of our hearts and the way we treat others.
So yes, I recommend reading Ikigai. It is reflective and motivating. But for me, its promises are not completely feasible.
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