Ikigai & Kaizen: The Japanese Strategy to Achieve Personal Happiness and Professional Success

“Tomorrow”

“The second concept, “Lingchi,” is a Chinese term that is commonly translated in the West as “death by a thousand cuts.” We’ll be employing this metaphor throughout the book as it so nicely describes the nature of human failure and the difficulties we encounter when attempting to identify the root cause of our foibles. You may have noticed that your most glorious life failures did not result from just one problem. Rather, they originate from a “thousand little cuts”—a thousand little ruinous decisions that come together to create a quagmire. If you learn to recognize these infractions before they accumulate, then you can put a stop to them—preventing undesirable circumstances from escalating into situations that are detrimental to your aspirations.”

“I remember once imagining what my life would be like; what I’d be like. I pictured having all these qualities—strong positive qualities, that people could pick up on from across a room. But, as time passed, few [of those qualities became any of the] qualities that I actually had. And all the possibilities… all the sorts of people I could be… all of them got reduced every year, to fewer and fewer. Until finally they got reduced to one—to who I am. And that’s who I am.”

“In the years following World War II, the Kaizen methodology continued to evolve thanks to the work of both Japanese and American managers—three of which are listed here: The Iowa-born statistician Dr. William Edwards Deming made many consulting trips to Japan during reconstruction efforts and was so influential in turning around Japanese industry that he was awarded the Second Order Medal of the Sacred Treasure by Emperor Hirohito in 1960. (We’ll be referring to Deming’s work many times throughout this book.) The business consultant Masaaki Imai published a management guidebook entitled “Kaizen: The Key to Japan’s Competitive Success.” He also founded the Kaizen Institute Consulting Group (KICG) with the aim of introducing Kaizen techniques to Western companies. Dr. Jeffrey Liker (Professor Emeritus of Industrial and Operations Engineering at the University of Michigan) would bring Kaizen into the mainstream when he published his book of “manufacturing ideals” called “The Toyota Way.” The book showcased many Kaizen-related principles and described the philosophy and values that dictate the modus operandi of the Toyota Motor Corporation.”

“[The “flow state” occurs when] people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience is so enjoyable that people will continue to do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it.”

“Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.”

“Nothing lasts,nothing is finished,and nothing is perfect.”

“Because a rudderless boat only has the freedom to sail in circles.”

“In Hansei, we take a rare moment to acknowledge that we are vastly flawed creatures—riddled with contradictions and burdened with whims—most of which we are only sparsely aware of. Pledging to remain cognizant of our shortcomings and to improve upon our future circumstances is the goal of a Hansei practice.”

“There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path.”

“What gets measured gets managed.”

“Every moment of your life is either a test or a celebration.”

“The exact origins of Ikigai are not known. The word can be traced back to Japan’s 8th century “Nara period.” But most present-day Japanese citizens do not commonly use the term. However, for the residents of Okinawa—a small island located 400 miles south of the Japanese mainland—the word is very important to their culture and personal wellbeing.”

“Lifehacker.com”

“It’s easy to stand awestruck at the difficult trial that lies before you. But it’s even easier to forget the many defeated obstacles that lie toppled behind you”

“One day— perhaps a decade from now—you might wake up to realize that your life situation remains unchanged or has even gotten worse. This is the most unfortunate consequence of inactivity, lethargy, procrastination, and sloth. Once your time is gone, it’s gone. Mankind can create many things, but we can’t create time. The amount of time available for the accomplishment of your goals is forever decreasing. With each tick of the clock, the end of your time draws nearer. This is why you must value your time as you value a diamond ring or a gold watch. It’s a precious resource that can never be replenished.”

“You must set and accomplish new goals (of one form or another) each and every day, until the day you die.”

“This translation is perhaps my favorite because an Ikigai is often one’s primary source of intrinsic motivation.”

“To procrastinate is to voluntarily delay an intended course of action—despite expecting to be worse off for the delay.”

“Do you rise from bed with gusto—eager to take on new projects and meet new challenges? Or, do you close your eyes in sorrow—sickened by the thought of spending yet another day at the office? If your answer to this question was more akin to the latter response, then perhaps you haven’t found your Ikigai yet.”

“And finally, the solution to many of our goal-setting problems can be found in the fourth concept, “Kaizen,” — often translated as “continuous improvement.” With Kaizen, we understand that the answers to life’s biggest quandaries do not come in the form of a magic pill. Instead, our most momentous accomplishments are typically the result of years of concentrated effort and dedication. Kaizen teaches us how to atomize big obstacles; how to break them down into their more manageable component parts so that we might build up the psychological momentum to overcome each hurdle via consistent daily action.”

“The third concept is called “Hansei” (honest self-reflection). Hansei is a Japanese method for understanding “what went wrong.” It’s about seeking clarity of thought through careful consideration of past mistakes. A skilled Hansei practitioner can analyze the multidimensional failures that led to an undesirable outcome. And, in doing so, he or she can gain valuable insights that will prevent similar errors from occurring in the future.”

“This is how you will awake each morning, caught in this human dilemma.”

“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”

“Passion - How much do I love this skill? Vocation - How good am I (or could be) at this skill? Mission - How much will this skill benefit the world? Profession - How likely am I to get paid well for this skill?”

“Your friend is the man who knows all about you, and still likes you.”

“The War of Art.” Because productive human effort is no “walk in the park.” It’s a war! A war against yourself.”

“It is when we act freely, for the sake of the action itself (rather than for ulterior motives), that we learn to become more than what we were.”