Plan De Vida
The Japanese introduced us to the concept of Ikigai, which represents an individual’s “reason for being”; you’ve probably seen the overlapping circles that represent how you can identify your Ikigai—the Americanized version of this is represented by the intersection of:
What you love.
What you are good at.
What the world needs.
What you can be paid for.
If you can identify your gift that sits at the intersection of these four circles, you have found your Ikigai, which is a great goal for everyone to strive for.
Thanks to the Live to 100 series on Netflix, I was introduced to another concept similar to Ikigai that comes from Costa Rica called “Plan de Vida,” which means “life plan,” but it carries a much greater meaning—”why I wake up in the morning.”
It’s believed that a strong Plan de Vida encourages you to contribute more to your community, family, and the greater good. It is also attributed to helping people living in Nicoya, Costa Rica, live well into their 100s without the health issues we commonly see in our communities. There are other factors contributing to the longevity and quality of life seen in Nicoya, like their nutrition, active lifestyles, an abundance of sun, and more—check out the show for more of what contributes to Nicoya being one of the few blue zones in the world—but having a sense of purpose and a reason to wake up each morning is an important part of living a long, happy, and fulfilled life.
The Costa Ricans believe your soul has a unique purpose, and your Pursuit is to identify that purpose and design a life that will fulfill your destiny—Plan de Vida is proof that pursuing your passions and finding your authentic life, your soul’s purpose, is vital to living life to its fullest.
Unlike Ikigai, there is no framework to find your Plan de Vida.
The answer to “why I wake up in the morning” is inside of you, and it is up to you to find it, pursue it, and live it—try aligning your spirit, mind, and body and see if your Plan de Vida becomes clearer.
See you tomorrow and keep pursuing,
JC
