Interview with the author Francesc Miralles, on Ikigai, life, and self-discovery

Francesc Miralles Contijoch is a Catalan writer, essayist, translator, and musician. He was born on August 27, 1968, in Barcelona, Spain. I recently had the opportunity to talk to him during a book club I usually attend monthly, after reading one of his most famous books — “Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life”.

I was impressed by the way the conversation shaped up, by how open and willing he was to share his experience, to let us discover him, and, most importantly, by how passionate he was about helping us start our journey to discover our own Ikigai.

So, I wanted to know even more about Ikigai, how he discovered it, and why he finds it so meaningful. I am grateful he took the time to answer my questions in his interview, which you will find below.

· Hello, Francesc. Thank you for accepting my invitation to answer a few questions for CityFemme.com. It’s an honor to have you featured on the blog (in Romanian), and here, on Medium. Can you start by telling us a little bit about Ikigai and how/when you discovered it?

Ikigai can be translated as “life purpose” or “reason to live”. We discovered this concept in Japan while studying the centenarians of Ōgimi, a village north of Okinawa.

· Is there a particular age a person should discover his/her Ikigai? Is it ever too late / too early?

If you are very young, it’s normal not to have found your Ikigai yet. You are in your way. This is a search to be started with 16/17, when you are deciding your academic future. Also, at 65, when you focus on your life after retirement.

· Can Ikigai change during a person’s life? If yes, how often?

It changes typically every 6–7 years, although there are some people able to keep the same Ikigai all their lives.

· Are women or men more likely to find their Ikigai easier?

That’s a good question. Women used to be deeper and more reflective than men. It should be easier for them.

· In your book you talk about getting into the flow with each activity you do. What does that mean? What is the flow?

It’s being totally absorbed by an activity. In a state of flow, one hour feels like one minute.

· How important are food and diet in Ikigai?

It’s not important exactly for Ikigai, but to have a long life.

· What are some other important aspects of Ikigai?

The most important is self-knowledge. If you don’t know who you are, you can’t know your talents and gifts, and these are what you use to shape a life's purpose.

· I know you traveled to Okinawa to interview some of the island's oldest residents. How was your interaction with them? How willing were they to tell you about their lives and habits?

They were very happy to be interviewed then. Nowadays, they are tired of foreigners, since thousands of people travel there to visit them because of our book.

· Are there other places you discovered in addition to Japan where you found Ikigai as a way of living?

You can find it in any rural or small community where there are very good ties among the people.

· Do you think we can replicate the Okinawa way of living to reach Ikigai, or can it be adapted based on where you live (urban/rural)?

It can be adapted anywhere, even in a city, because it’s a philosophical and psychological approach to life.

· What is your Ikigai and when did you find it?

My Ikigai has changed several times through the years. Nowadays, it is helping other people find their ikigai.

· What advice would you offer to a person who has not found her Ikigai yet?

I recommend being patient and not looking for immediate results. Be curious and enjoy the ikigai journey. Looking for your ikigai is, actually, an ikigai.

· Where can we find you / your work and can you tell us what you are working on next?

You can find me on my web or on social media. Right now, I am working on a love novel.

Thank you for your time and answers, I am sure the readers of CityFemme.com will be very excited to discover more about Ikigai!

Thanks to you!

Love, Francesc

So far, Francesc Miralles has published a wide variety of fiction and nonfiction — novels, personal development books, books for children and youth, and thrillers — alone or in collaboration, some of which have been rewarded with prestigious awards and translated into 50 countries.

Photos: personal archive + photo of the author from humanitasjunior.ro