As the old proverb says, “A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.”People who live a life of purpose wake up each morning eager to face the new day. They pursue their dreams with fervor, put their heart into everything they do, and feel that they’re personally making a difference. As James Dean, the actor, once said, “Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today.”

What’s your reason for getting up in the morning?

In Japan, millions of people have ikigai (pronounced Ick-ee-guy)— a reason to jump out of bed each morning. The Japanese island of Okinawa, where ikigai has its origins, is said to be home to the largest population of centenarians in the world.It roughly means the “thing that you live for” or “the reason for which you get up in the morning.” In a nutshell, it encompasses the idea that happiness in life is about more than money or a fancy job title.These days, my reason for getting out of bed is to work on projects that re-imagine society and education. For someone who spent decades struggling to find a reason to get out of bed, it is now a refreshing change to have this deep sense of purpose. My health and well-being have radically improved during recent years, too. The primary reason for this has not been the healthy choices I have made or the diets I have followed, but because I now live with a sense of purpose – and that is the platform for all the other decisions I make.