Belief as the Compass of Life

 

Tempu Nakamura (1876-1968), a Japanese thinker and successful businessperson, is remembered for his famous quote: “Belief is like a precious compass that guides one's life. Therefore, a life without belief is like a worn-out ship unable to embark on a long voyage.” For Tempu, belief means deeply believing in the power of one's own life and unleashing that power. As one's belief grows stronger, they can realize the incredible potential inherent in every individual. It is said that this strength manifests, leading to good health and a positive destiny. There is a story that Tempu used to look in the mirror every night before bed, affirming that his beliefs would strengthen. This illustrates the idea that age is not a barrier to increasing faith and taking action. Every day presents an auspicious opportunity for growth and self-improvement.

Popular posts from this blog

Rediscovering Purpose in Retirement

Image
  The other day, I received a message from one of my social media friends saying, “I have just retired, and to be honest, I do sometimes feel a lack of purpose.” Immediately after reading these words, I felt sympathy for his despondent mood because I have been through a period of experiencing a sort of burnout syndrome, even though I eventually found relief from heavy work stress. During that time, I learned from another social media friend that it is very helpful to ask oneself three questions to create a bucket list for post-retirement life. These questions are as follows: 1.     What have you enjoyed doing the most? 2.     What have you been doing that made you shine the brightest? 3.     What things have you left behind so far? Surely, asking these three questions worked effectively and enabled me to discover new reasons for living in the rest of my life.
Read more

The Wisdom of Japanese Proverbs: Leading by Example in Parenting and the Workplace:

Image
There is a Japanese quote, “Ko wa oya no senaka wo mite sodatsu,” which can be literally translated into English as “Children grow as they look at the back of their parents.” This suggests that parents should lead by example, both in their words and actions, when raising their children at home. In this context, reflecting on my experiences at work from the perspective of my personal growth, I believe I have learned much more from observing my bosses' actions and attitudes than from their verbal advice. Returning to the Japanese quote, from my own interpretation, the reason it uses “the back of their parents” rather than simply “their parents” is to emphasize the importance of actions over words. In this sense, I am now pondering whether I can serve as a good role model to my younger colleagues by setting an example through my own actions.
Read more

The Journey to a Minimalist Lifestyle

Image
When I was in my 20s, I had a precious chance to visit the den of two individuals whom I highly respected. Their dens were very clean and simple, with only a few pieces of furniture and no unnecessary things. During that time, I had a sudden realization that such a comfortable space, where minimalists habitually maintain order, was a crucial element for their productivity and capability. Since then, I have tried to emulate their habits in my private room as much as I can, although there are still unnecessary and unused things around me. What I realized by emulating them was the true value of the necessary things around me and the sense of richness that comes with having a comfortable space. As a result, I no longer make impulse purchases and I take better care of my belongings. I now believe that unnecessary things tend to trigger worldly desires. Thus, my ideal goal for a place to stay is to create and maintain a simple space, similar to those found in Shinto shrines and Buddhist temp
Read more