A Journey through My Diverse Perspectives

  If we occasionally reflect on our daily actions and outcomes, using our analytical abilities to explore why things turned out the way they did, we can uncover unexpected insights. These discoveries, born from personal experience, become practical wisdom we can apply in the future. Even a small piece of such wisdom carries weight when shared with others, as it stems from lived reality and resonates more deeply. Sharing this wisdom also enhances its social value. Over time, accumulating these insights can lead to a more fulfilling life. Many ordinary people who excel in areas like speaking, listening, cooking, cleaning, music, or gardening have gained their skills through this kind of experiential learning, often influencing those around them—consciously or not—with the wisdom they’ve gathered.

  When I was a child in Japan, there was a strong societal tendency to correct naturally left-handed children to become right-handed. As a result, left-handed students were extremely rare in my school classrooms. One reason for this was the everyday inconvenience faced by left-handed individuals. For instance, the stroke order and writing style of Japanese scripts—such as kanji and hiragana—are designed for right-handed writing. Using the left hand often results in awkward letter forms and lower evaluations from teachers. Because of this, I was made to write with my right hand in elementary school, though I vaguely remember disliking the experience. Common tools like scissors and can-openers are also designed primarily for right-handed use, making life even more inconvenient for left-handed people. Today in Japan, the practice of forcing children to switch hands has declined significantly, thanks in part to findings in neuroscience. In my case, however, the correction may have work...

  Sometimes, coming up with a good idea is harder than expected. When I first committed to writing one short essay a day, I assumed it would be easy to overcome the challenge. But as time went on, I realized that no matter how hard I tried to brainstorm alone, inspiration didn’t always arrive on cue. On some days, I couldn’t help but feel that my biorhythms or physical condition were affecting my brain’s ability to generate ideas. Conversely, when my mind is in good shape, ideas often come one after another. In those moments, if I jot them down and write a few essays in advance, I can build a stockpile. This not only eases the daily pressure but also gives me peace of mind and helps me focus more effectively. More broadly, while stockpiling things we rarely use can create stress, having a ready supply of useful items—like short essays—can offer mental support, improve concentration, and lead to better results.

  If you boldly let go of unnecessary items in your home, avoid impulse purchases, and care for the things you truly need, you’ll reduce distractions and stress. Being surrounded by items you love makes it easier to focus and achieve better results. Similarly, by developing the habit of addressing small tasks and worries immediately—without procrastination—you can clear mental clutter and direct your energy toward positive, meaningful priorities. This, too, leads to improved outcomes.

  It has been nearly three years since I retired. During this time, I’ve taken on entirely new challenges as fulfilling hobbies and part of my social contribution. With no prior experience in any of these fields, I’ve faced countless obstacles and overcome them through trial and error. What I’ve learned from these post-retirement experiences is this: if we devote the same or similar energy to meaningful activities as we once did to our jobs, we can rediscover a sense of purpose. This helps us avoid the sense of emptiness that can follow retirement and instead enjoy fulfilling, purposeful days.

  We can often look back on past hardships and calmly explain how we made it through. However, that advice may not necessarily help someone who is currently in the midst of their own desperate struggle. This is because the mental state of someone facing a challenge now is very different from that of someone reflecting on a past experience—and each person’s hardship is unique. Even if we've overcome many difficulties and learned valuable lessons, we’re likely to struggle again when faced with a major obstacle in an unfamiliar field. While past experiences can build confidence and mental resilience, they don’t always translate directly to new challenges. In the end, when we hit a wall, the struggle to overcome it is ultimately a personal battle within ourselves.

  If we want to make a meaningful contribution to people and society, our success depends not only on how much energy we invest, but also on whether we direct it in the right way. By “in the right way,” I mean ensuring that what we offer truly aligns with the fundamental needs and expectations of others. Without that alignment, even wholehearted efforts may go unnoticed or unappreciated. To find the best match, it’s essential to validate our assumptions through trial and error. This is easy to say but difficult to practice—yet only by doing so can we achieve real success. I’ve come to realize this again since taking on entirely new activities after retirement.