How We Do It

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.”
— Will Durant, The Story of Philosophy

Making the world a better place is a tall order — but that is exactly what we are doing at Ikigai Kids. Whether through boots on the ground, interactive activity workbooks for the home, licensing material to educators, or drop-in plug-and-play SEL-compliant solutions for youth programs, we deliver impact at every level.

From simple life skills modules to our fully integrated holistic child development master program, we change lives — not by telling kids how to be, but by helping them discover who they are, so that they can live their life on purpose.

There is a war going on for our kids today. We are in a losing battle for their attention. Make no mistake — there are serious consequences for doing nothing, as we are already seeing in our culture.

Common decency has been brutally subjugated by keyboard warriors. No one talks to each other anymore; we talk at each other.

Values and life lessons once passed down around campfires, through time with grandparents, or in conversations at the dinner table have been replaced by instant gratification and the false perfection of 30-second clips on a screen. We see the highlight, not the hard work. And too many want the result without the journey. But the only way to truly achieve that kind of excellence is through the work.

It might be too late for some of us adults, but it is not too late for the kids — and it won’t be long before they stand where we do now. Let’s give them a better chance.

Instead of focusing narrowly on “conservative values” or chasing the next “cutting-edge” SEL trend, these skills create a near seamless bridge between the ideologies by focusing on what kids actually need to be their best, and then applying current best practices in child development and psychology.

These skills need to be taught to everyone, beginning at a young age. This is a flag-in-the-sand moment. Stand with us in a counter-culture — let’s go back to a time where people valued both themselves and each other, and a time when community mattered.

The way there is clear. Every kid that we equip, every home we are welcomed into, every life we touch, every community, youth group, youth sports team, afterschool enrichment program, martial arts class, or even classroom we influence has a ripple effect. This isn’t theory — this is practice. We are already making a difference, and the difference is contagious.

One last flag in the sand thought: Morality cannot be legislated, but it absolutely can — and should — be taught. And really, it would go even better if more of us would take a step back and model it, instead of standing in judgment of those who are or aren’t. These 9 pillars are valuable life skills I think we can all agree kids absolutely need to have.