10 Japanese Concepts For Self-Improvement and a Balanced Life
It was a Friday evening, and I was preparing to leave for the airport after work. I stopped by my usual pharmacy to buy an allergy spray. I carry the spray every time I travel. This time, I was heading to Dubai.
The pharmacist seemed to remember me. When I asked for the spray, she told me they had run out of it. I stood there for a minute, wondering what to do. I needed the spray, and it was late, and I had to go to the airport. Before I could react further, she jumped into action. She made a phone call to a nearby pharmacy, told me to wait for a few minutes, ran over to that pharmacy, and got the spray.
I was stunned and amazed by her actions. She could have left it, but instead, she understood that I needed the spray. I would not have made it to the other pharmacy on time, so she pulled some strings with her contacts at the other pharmacy and had them give it to her.
The way she acted was what we would call “omoiyari” in Japanese, which means going out of the way to provide impeccable service to the customer. It saved me time and stress.
I have lived in Japan for more than 20 years, and I have countless stories like this. Each time, such hospitality does not fail to amaze me, and I always feel humbled.
In many ways, Japanese culture is rich, and attempting to shed light on some of its concepts in this article will not do justice. However, I feel compelled to share nuggets of its pearls of wisdom, especially since the world is becoming more interconnected.
The chances of being in a multicultural team, whether for work or social reasons, are increasing. In learning and appreciating other cultures, we can learn to see our own culture through their lens and become empathic.
I have compiled 10 Japanese concepts that we can use to improve ourselves or gain some perspective on how things work in Japan.
Omoiyari
As above, omoiyari means caring and showing sincere consideration for others.
Japanese fans made the headlines in 2018 when they tidied up a football stadium after the game.
Omoiyari is also manifested in the designs of products. For example, Japanese hi-tech toilets have a warm seat, washer, and a sound to cover those ‘unpleasant’ noises.
Practicing omoiyari is said to help build compassion and empathy toward others.
Ikigai
Ikigai is the Japanese term for the state of well-being induced by devotion to enjoyable activities, which leads to a sense of fulfillment, according to Japanese psychologist Michiko Kumano.
It is said that in Japan, people who have a purpose in life live longer.
Your ikigai is what gets you up every morning and keeps you going.
Wabi-sabi
Wabi-sabi is a concept that encourages us to embrace our imperfections and accept the natural cycle of life.
Everything in life, including us, is in a state of flux. Change is the only constant, everything is transient, and nothing is ever complete.
By practicing wabi-sabi, we are taught to be grateful and accepting and strive for excellence rather than perfection.
Mottainai
Mottainai means respecting the resources we have, not wasting them, and using them with a sense of gratitude.
Uniqlo uses “Mottainai: Old Clothes, New Life” to achieve zero waste.
The concept invites us to be grateful and intentional about our actions and think of ways to help make this world more sustainable.
Shin-Gi-Tai
Shin-Gi-Tai translates as “mind, technique, and body.”
Mind, technique, and body are the three elements for maximum performance used in martial arts.
The concepts can be applied to any domain. Take, for example, chess. Your performance is not solely dependent on your chess skills at the board. Winning also requires a mindset that can cope with stress and setbacks during hours of uninterrupted concentration.
The framework can also be applied to building habits. The framework can be mapped to the Fogg Behavior Model, which is expressed as a short formula: Behavior = Motivation (Mind), Ability (Technique), and Prompt (Body).
A healthy body and a sound mind are the foundation for developing and refining any skills.
Shu-Ha-Ri
“When the student is ready the teacher will appear. When the student is truly ready… The teacher will Disappear.” ― Tao Te Ching
Shu-Ha-Ri translates as “follow, breakaway, and transcend.”
It is a way of thinking about how to learn and master a technique. There are 3 stages to acquiring knowledge:
- Shu: learn the basics by following the teaching of one master. Imitating the work of great masters also falls in this stage.
- Ha: start experimenting, learn from masters, and integrate the learning into the practice.
- Ri: This stage focuses on innovation and adapting the learning to different situations.
Imitate, then innovate. You may want to check Clark Terry’s formulation of this model: Imitate, Assimilate, Innovate.
Kaizen
Kaizen is a method of continuous improvement based on the theory that small, ongoing positive changes can be significant.
Kaizen reminds us to let go of assumptions and perfectionism. It teaches us to take an iterative, progressive approach to change.
This concept is vital to instill good habits and achieve excellence.
Mono no aware
This concept describes having empathy towards things and their inevitable passing.
This concept reminds us that nothing in life is permanent. We should willingly and gracefully let go of our attachments to transient things.
Omotenashi
Christel Takigawa, the ambassador for the Tokyo 2020 bid, popularized this concept in her speech to the International Olympic Committee.
The concept is all about offering the best service without expecting a reward. It’s an important part of Japanese culture and deeply rooted in how Japanese society functions.
Ho-Ren-So
Ho-Ren-So translates as “report, inform, and consult.”
The concept forms the basis of all communication, collaboration, and healthy information sharing in a Japanese organization. It focuses on the roots of the communication line, streamlining the flow of information, and preventing issues from happening again.
The Japanese argument is that the Ho-Ren-So, through collaboration and communication, strengthens subordinate employee relationships and provides a platform for the subordinate to learn from their superior.
It is good practice to encourage everyone to report issues and problems immediately. Even if a solution is not found, the cost of a problem that is not reported can be high.
TL;DR
The 10 Japanese concepts I shared:
- Omoiyari: embed compassion in your life, work, and product design.
- Ikigai: live with purpose and passion.
- Wabi-sabi: be grateful, see beauty in imperfection, and strive for excellence, not perfection.
- Mottainai: embrace essentialism, and live sustainably.
- Shin-Gi-Tai: keep a healthy body and a sound mind. They are the path to mastery.
- Shu-Ha-Ri: learn the basics. Imitate, then innovate.
- Kaizen: embrace change and strive for small and continuous improvements.
- Mono no aware: detach from material things, outcomes, and old beliefs.
- Omotenashi: give without expecting a reward. The world gives to the givers.
- Ho-Ren-So: over-communicate. Report problems even if you don’t have an answer.
Final words
Adding concepts like these to our toolbox can help us navigate this interconnected world and thrive in it as we experience more of life and evolve.
