Finding My Ikigai: A Life That Never Retires
- Prateek Khanna
- Jan 18
- 4 min read
A lot of people who have known me over the years—especially relatives—often look at me with a mix of curiosity and confusion. “What exactly do you do?” they ask. And honestly, I don’t blame them.
My work today spans education, technology, real estate, and now healthcare (learning).
To an outsider, it looks like diversification. To me, it has always been one continuous thread.
For the last 15 years, education has been my anchor. Even when I stepped into real estate, it wasn’t about selling land or buildings—it was about educating people to make the right decisions, whether they were buyers, builders, investors, or partners.
The same philosophy runs through every technology platform my team and I have built—technology in service of learning, empowerment, and clarity.
And now, when people hear that I am taking steps toward building schools across India under the True North Group, it surprises many. But for me, it feels inevitable. It is simply the natural convergence of everything I have lived and learned—education, tech, real estate, and healthcare (mostly learning)—coming together with purpose.
Loving What You Do Is Not a Strategy. It’s a Way of Life.
If I look back, my journey was never about titles.
It began humbly—teaching tuitions during college. Then came my own institute, followed by an IIT-JEE test prep platform. From there, I went on to found Nurtr, then XOFY Tech, then DMET Club—a space that became far bigger than an organization; it became a living community. I had the privilege of joining the boards of Yugen and Mariners Realty. And today, I stand at the foundation of True North Group.
None of this was planned on a spreadsheet. It happened because I have always believed in loving what I do—fully, deeply, and unapologetically.
And among all this, one thing sits closest to my heart—my volunteer work for DMECA. It is service without expectation, contribution without transaction. It is where gratitude meets responsibility.
Ikigai: The Reason You Wake Up Every Morning
Recently, while reflecting on life, I revisited a book that deeply resonated with me—Ikigai.
The Japanese believe that everyone has an ikigai—a reason for being. Some discover it early. Some search for it all their lives. But it lives within us, waiting patiently.
In Okinawa—the island with the highest number of centenarians—people say that ikigai is the reason you wake up in the morning.
That line stayed with me.
Because when I look at my own life, I realise something important: I have never truly “worked” a day in the conventional sense. I have simply shown up every day to do what gives my life meaning.
The Quiet Wisdom of Living Long—and Living Well
The book speaks about simple but profound truths.
In Okinawa, people eat mindfully. Meals are served on small plates, not to restrict joy, but to honour balance. They stop eating when they are 80% full—a practice called Hara Hachi Bu. Not out of discipline, but out of respect for the body. (I have not followed this though)
They consume fewer calories, eat more vegetables, tofu, fish, and live lighter—physically and mentally.
But food alone is not the secret.
The deeper magic lies in community.
Moai: Connected for Life
In Okinawa, people form moai—small lifelong groups bound by trust and shared responsibility (Something I envision for DMET Club). These groups meet, eat together, play games, support each other emotionally and financially.
If one member falls, the group holds them up.
Reading this, I couldn’t help but think of DMET. Of batchmates, seniors, juniors. Of a brotherhood that quietly mirrors the spirit of a moai.
Perhaps this is why some communities don’t just survive—they thrive.
The Blue Zones and the Courage to Never Retire
Okinawa is one of the world’s five Blue Zones—regions where people live the longest and healthiest lives. Others include Sardinia in Italy, Ikaria in Greece, Loma Linda in California, and Nicoya in Costa Rica.
Across all of them, the patterns are strikingly similar:
People move daily, but don’t obsess over exercise
They help others, often without calling it charity
They eat simply, drink moderately
They manage stress by living with purpose
And most importantly—they never retire from life
In fact, the Japanese don’t even have a word for “retirement” as we know it. People continue doing what they love as long as their health allows.
That idea deeply moved me.
Because I cannot imagine a version of myself that stops contributing.
I believe I also want to create a blue Zone in DMET Club (I am as crazy as it gets I guess)
Life Must Be Worth Living—Every Single Day
Ikigai, written as 生き甲斐, literally means “that which makes life worthwhile.” It combines the idea of life, armor, beauty, and leading from the front.
And maybe that is what this journey has always been about for me.
Not growth for the sake of growth. Not success measured in numbers alone.
But waking up each morning knowing that what I do matters to someone, somewhere.
