By Bakri Baharom @ Koboi Tunjang

Here’s a simple exercise that you may want to attempt. Yes, you! You may be a young student wondering if you should read on. Or, you are a 40-year-old English teacher in Paya Terendam, Sik, determined not to speak one word of Bahasa Melayu at school. Or, you are a 70-year-old wishing to motivate your peers.

I remain a motivator to this day. As an educator, I had to learn new techniques all the time. I have stopped going to classes because I am retired. So I should carry on my crusade of pushing others to do better by crafting sentences.

Azizul Hasni Awang and Shid, my childhood friend who went on to build a career as a captain of the high seas. Azizul and Shid tick all the boxes in the IKIGAI world.

The above visual is drawn from IKIGAI, The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life, by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles, Penguin, 2016.

Take a closer look at the FOUR overlapping circles. In Mathematics it is called Set Theory. The four circles are coloured Red, Green, Blue and Yellow.

Look at the Red circle. It is about things you cherish. Make a list.

First (red) Cicle – What, Are the Things You Love.
List down all activities you love to do. You probably cherish these 10 activities: Cycling, Badminton, Hiking, Eating, Writing, Selling, Socialising, Playing Guitar, Driving and Farming.

Second (Green) Circle – What Are You Good At.
Out of 10 activities, choose Top 5 that you consider yourself as reasonably competent.

Maybe you feature for your school team, or, you represent your country in International Competitions; or you have a PhD in that specific vocation.

Lets say your Top 5 are: Cycling, Playing Guitar, Eating, Writing and Driving.

Third (Blue) Circle – What the World Needs.
There are plenty of trending professions and services. Name a few that may relate to the 2nd Circle. Say, Keirin, Guitarist, Cook, Editor, F1 Driver.

Fourth (Yellow) Circle – What You Can be Paid For.
Again, list down the professions that are related to your Blue Circle. Ideally, the profession will pay you well, earn respect for you or last a lifetime. Say, Professional Keirin Cyclist, Popular Boys’ Band, 5-Star Hotel F&B Manager, a leading Newspaper’s Chief Editor and a Professional F1 Driver.

Lets take Azizul Hasni Awang. His 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Circles are all related to Cycling. The intersection between 1st and 2nd circles will be his Mission: he loves cycling and he is good at it. The 1st and 3rd circles’ intersection will be his Mission; matching what he loves doing and what the world needs: cycling and pursuing the Keirin event. The 2nd and 3rd circle denote his profession, that is Professional Keirin Cyclist. The 2nd and 4th circles intersection complete his Vocation.

That is why Azizul Hasni Awang is unfailingly spending his time and efforts enhancing what he loves to do, is good at, the world wants it and this is pursued with good returns. The combination of his Passion, Mission, Vocation and Profession make up his IKIGAI.

He endured pain and frustrations, he has had the downs but each time, he was back on his feet. Qualities that make him, somewhat, a serial winner of Sportsman of The Year. The six million dollar question is: What is your IKIGAI?

Lao Tze, a Chinese Military Supremo once said; “Knowing Yourself is True Wisdom”. Knowing yourself includes knowing your strength and weaknesses so that you may utilise all opportunities and you so by overcoming frailties.

I am never going to be Azizul Hasni Awang, Lee Chong Wei, Nicol David, Jack Ma or Nelson Mandela. But, there must be something we can be proud of.

Identify your calling.

Shid (as he is known among friends) is the captain who commands the RORO from Kuala Perlis to Langkawi and back

In 1960, a boy was born in Tunjang. We called him Shid. As the other kampung boys, he went through life without much toys or gadgets. Instead, he made his own. These included catapult from Y-shaped stems with rubber bands from his mother’s kitchen and discarded bicycle tyre. He produced Bamboo Gun with Cenerai as bullets. He turned Seludang Kelapa into small boats. With these, he enjoyed his childhood, built friendships and learned to be creative and innovative.

Years later, he grew up to be a seaman, braving the high seas in merchant ships, covering Far East and Europe.

He is much nearer to Tunjang now, navigating the ferry services between Kuala Perlis and the legendary island, Langkawi.

No sign of slowing down at 63. He commands the ro-ro means of transporter ferrying cars, buses, lorries and passengers. That is what he loves to do, good at doing it, that is what the society needs and he is reasonably well-paid for; hence his IKIGAI. He is Koboi Tunjang’s childhood friend; Captain Abdul Rashid Hamid.

Likewise, if you love your environment, you want to be proud living in a clean area, you fully realise that is what the society deserves for sustainability and you are happy to see rewards other than money, consider being another cleanliness crusader in your area. Yes, emulate Koboi Tunjang.