Ikigai is interesting because it attempts to combine almost all needs in Maslow’s heirarchy of needs into a single project or activity.
According to Andrew J. Brown, this word has been often misappropriated. In Shinichiro Imaoka’s Creed of Life, ikigai is translated as “the worth of living in life.” I love this translation. It is both purpose and meaning. It is very existential as it seems to present itself as a reason to convince me not to kill myself.