What’s your Ikigai?

‘Ikigai’ is a Japanese concept that translates as ‘a reason for being’.

The Japanese believe it is the secret to a long and happy life. We think, if used effectively it could just help you live a more fulfilling one too.

Brands that exist over and above making profit could be said to have found their ikigai or purpose. We often get asked if we believe having a purpose and making money can co-exist harmoniously?

Our answer to this is a resounding ‘Yes,’ there are a great many brands that sit outside the charity sector who use their purpose as a powerful and motivating force for good but still generate handsome profits for their stakeholders.

Think of brands like:

Dove: Helping women reconsider and redefine beauty.

Patagonia: In business to save our home planet.

Toms: Improving people’s lives in different ways.

Managed in the right way, a brand’s purpose can be so much more than just ‘doing the right thing’. Purpose can provide real direction, inspire teams and even help to define a brand’s reason for being.

However, in order to fulfil its potential, a brand’s purpose needs to be understood by everyone who comes into contact with it. It must transcend everything the brand does.

Over the years we’ve seen many brands grapple with the concept of finding their purpose. Today it seems more important than ever for brands to discover their purpose and to find out what this means for their business. Our advice… focus on the change you want to see and then go make it happen!

If you’d like to talk to us about finding your ‘ikigai’ then why not drop us a line.