Literally translating to “life value,” Ikigai is best understood as the reason somebody gets up in the morning—somebody’s reason for living. It’s a combination of what you are good at, what you get paid to do, what you love to do, and what the world needs. We often find our ikigai during flow states, which occur when a given task is just challenging and absorbing enough that we forget time has passed, that “in the zone” sensation. But it’s more nuanced than something that is simply absorbing or a passion; it’s a fulfilling kind of work that benefits oneself and others: 7 amazing Japanese words English needs to borrow