Failure is not a problem at all. What matters is how we learn from it

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.

However, there are three things I consider problematic: "laziness," "excuses or lies," and "arrogance."

Laziness
Laziness can quickly become a habit. Once you start cutting corners on small tasks, it eventually spreads to more important matters without you even noticing. Small errors inevitably snowball into bigger problems. If left unchecked, this undermines the trust of the entire organization and can quickly destroy our personal credibility.

Excuses or Lies
Telling a lie can easily become a habit, leading you to betray even yourself. It starts with small lies and grows into bigger ones. No one wants to be around someone who lies, and making excuses shuts down your opportunities for growth.

Arrogance
This is especially dangerous for leaders. Arrogance in a leader creates a culture of slackness throughout the organization. If the leader doesn’t stay sharp, neither will the team. In this regard, I am the most at risk, which is why I constantly remind myself to stay humble.

It is impossible to achieve our group’s mission of "making a better world through business" without experiencing failure. Cultivating the entrepreneurial mindset, as outlined in the Vision 1, means creating a society that doesn’t fear failure.



That’s why we must continue taking steps forward, no matter how small. Like mushrooms, we should rise again and again. This is the practice of the Hattori Way, and it is the force that will shape our future.

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