Author: Satoru Hirose

 

Take a good rest.
ゆっくり休もう。

 

Our brain and body need a rest to perform better.

You work hard every day. Or study hard every day. You deserve taking a good rest so that you can do a good job again next week.

Have a great weekend!

 

 

Today never comes twice.
今日という日は、二度と訪れない。

 

People talk about FOMO — fear of missing out — nowadays. But how about FOD — fear of death?

No one is immortal. Thanks to advanced science and healthcare, we may be able to live up to 100 years old or more in the near future — but we are going to die in the end whatever the case may be.

It doesn’t mean that our life is meaningless. Our life is meaningful because it has a beginning and an end. But when we behave as if our life would last forever, the meaning of our life will be diluted.

What would you do today? What would you be passionate about, compassionate to and grateful for? Today is the day that someone might have eagerly desired to live. Let us live today to the fullest.

 

 

Think the opposite.
逆を考えよう。

 

It was around midnight. The most critical task was not done yet. I had to complete it within 12 hours.

When I was in my late twenties, every working day was like this. I was a workaholic, and I had too many things to do. My boss never cared about my workload. He didn’t know about my tasks either — he just wanted me to get things done. Under such a circumstance, I had no luxury to think negatively — like “there is no way to get it done”. I had to get it done no matter what. Period.

Now I am no longer a workaholic, but still have the same mindset when getting things done. Especially difficult ones — I try to explore as many options as possible and to find the most effective & efficient way.

Sometimes the first idea works very well. And in some cases, the tenth, the thirtieth, or the hundredth idea works. I don’t even know which ideas work — until I do an experiment.

When nothing seem to be working, find a way to make you move one step forward. One small experiment is fine — when things stagnate, what you need is merely a tiny step. Not a magic bullet.

Don’t allow yourself to be in a passive mode. Try to find a way to make things work, and keep taking small steps until you get a momentum. And you’ll find things start changing.