Japan as Only 1

 Humanity once lived as hunter-gatherers, constantly surrounded by threats of predators, starvation, or freezing cold. In such a world, the inability to act on instincts often meant death. This environment naturally honed our ability to detect subtle signs of danger or opportunity—a skill deeply embedded in our instincts. However, in today’s peaceful society, particularly in a country like Japan, the need to rely on such instincts has significantly diminished. While this is undoubtedly a positive development, as it eliminates life-threatening dangers, it has also dulled our inherent ability to notice discrepancies, sense danger, and recognize opportunities. This phenomenon isn't limited to matters of life and death. Whether it’s a project, a business decision, or even meeting new people, we possess a unique capability to sense both risks and possibilities—something no AI, not even ChatGPT, can fully replicate. The challenge lies in keeping this ability sharp. It’s a skill that can ...

 Speaking of challenges, I’ve heard some stories this month about people letting go of things they held dear. One individual sold all the shares in a company they had nurtured, only to regret it later as the company culture began to crumble. Another person resigned from a company they loved because of some disagreements, leaving them with a bittersweet sense of loss. Both cases share a common theme: “If only we could have discussed this earlier, something could have been done!” Unfortunately, by the time these situations came to light, there was little that could be done to reverse them. Of course, as we discussed in previous themes, failure itself is not a true problem. With time and reflection, these experiences can lead to better decisions and opportunities. However, it’s also true that others may get caught in the ripple effects of these choices. To avoid causing trouble for those who have supported us, we must clearly distinguish between risks we can afford to take and those w...

 "In the business world, I believe there is no absolute 'right answer.' There isn’t a universal law or equation where if you do X and Y, Z will definitely follow. This doesn’t mean we should act recklessly. Rather, all we can do is take actions that we 'believe' to be the best choice at that point in time. Our solutions and ideas aren’t always the best, and while they might look promising now, they could yield poor results in the future. Conversely, what seemed like a major failure at one point may end up turning into a positive outcome over time. Thus, the key is not to be overconfident in our own correctness. As leaders, we might understand the business well, but others—especially those focused on specific departments—might have insights we lack.  In other words, even decisions we considered 'optimal' can later emerge as problematic from different perspectives. What we saw as the best way may actually be outperformed by approaches in other departments or ...

140th Year Has Begun! With the start of this new term, we've had a fantastic kickoff with our sales awards, general meeting, and networking event. I truly believe it’s the best start we could have hoped for. As I have always said, "Failure is not a problem at all. What matters is how we learn from it." Additionally, I’ve made it clear that "I do not tolerate laziness, excuses or lies, and arrogance." While failure is a necessary part of gaining the experience needed to make sound decisions, laziness and arrogance are barriers to growth. Why is failure not a problem? Because making the right decisions requires a lot of experience, and to gain that experience, you need to make many wrong decisions—that is, you need to fail a lot. To take actions that lead to success, you must first go through many failures. Therefore, instead of fearing failure, what truly matters is making decisions and taking action. Avoiding action to prevent failure is a much bigger issue. How...