Ikigai
I’m in the final stages of building an enchanted rock garden in a section of my yard where not much besides moss and oak trees grow.
(This ties into ADHD, I promise!)
As part of my research for the project, I stumbled onto the Shizen Style YouTube channel. In addition to discussing Japanese gardens, creator Joshua Smith also discusses photography and Japanese philosophy.
Last year, he made a video on Japanese Life Concepts, and the section on the concept of Ikigai really resonated with me as someone with ADHD…
Ikigai is an approach to motivation that focuses on habits, following what you love, and enjoying the journey over setting big goals.
I often describe myself as a Winnie the Pooh. I generally don’t like Five Year Plans or long-term goal setting. I prefer to focus on what interests me right now, and throw myself into it fully.
Ikigai is in many ways how I act naturally.
But it’s not how the modern Western world wants us to behave. From early childhood, we’re often pressured to set longer term goals. We’re asked, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” The gaze is always on the future, rather than the now.
In the video, Joshua cites the work of Harvard Professor Teresa Amabile on the power of small wins…
Of all the things that can boost inner work life, the most important is making progress in meaningful work.
Does that resonate with you? Because it sure does with me!
The times I’ve felt most lost and unfilled at work have always been when I’ve been working on projects that I wasn’t interested in, didn’t find meaningful, or was not able to contribute to in an impactful way.
But that’s not a me problem, I don’t think. That’s a world built for neurotypical folks working against how I naturally do my best work.
Recognizing that—and having the power or willingness to say “fuck it” and forget a different path—is a big part of finding happiness and fulfillment as someone with ADHD.