The world we live in is like an invitation from God from the moment we are born. We come into this world to play. Everything is a game, and we should realize that. We are playing even now. No matter what we do, we should understand that it’s a game. When we look at people, we should think, “That person is also playing,” and that’s a good thing. I’m playing too. It’s a mistake to think, “If I play, things will get difficult,” because that’s not true. Even though it’s work, we should approach it as if we are playing.
When people are playing mahjong, do they slack off? When they’re playing pachinko, do they slack off? When they’re playing golf, do they slack off? No, they don’t. They are all serious. That’s why I consider the job as a form of play. That’s why I’m doing it seriously. I work late into the night. Why? Because it’s like a game. So, no matter what we do, we should consider it a game. It’s good if everyone plays together because, when you play happily, your face becomes a smiling one.
Some people look sad, right? But they are playing by looking sad. They want to experience sadness in their lives. Humans are reborn 100,000 times. There are 100,000 rebirths. Out of those 100,000 times, they want to live sadly once. So, just go for it. Some people think life is a struggle. When you think life is a struggle, more struggles come your way. We should thank our bodies, thank the Earth, and thank the people we meet. When we keep saying thank you, there is a phenomenon where we want to say thank you more and more. It’s mysterious.
Such phenomena keep happening. Even today, as I talk earnestly like this, everyone says, “Thank you, President.” When someone says thank you once, it has the same effect as saying thank you ten thousand times. When ten people say it, it’s like saying it a hundred thousand times. It’s hard to say thank you ten thousand times yourself. So, it’s better to do something for someone because they asked, to be cheerful, to explain things earnestly. When you do that, people say, “Thank you.”
If you say thank you ten thousand times yourself, your mouth will get sore. If everyone says thank you to you, you can say it a million times. We came to this world to play anyway, so let’s be cheerful. We’re going to die anyway. It’s just a game until we die. That’s why we’re working with that in mind. I seriously think I’ll live to be 200. It doesn’t matter what others think. I think I’ll live to be 200. Why? Because when I was a child, they used to say the average lifespan was 50, but now there are people who live to be around 100.
Right now, I’ve seen it double in my lifetime, so it will double from here too. Why? Because in medicine and everything else, one year is equivalent to ten years from the past. They say the human lifespan is up to 125 years. That’s without doing anything. Even without doing anything, lucky individuals will live to be 125. I’m doing various things now. I’m planning my life with the goal of living to 200, so I think it’s not good to rush things too much, and I’m doing various things (laughs).
My cycle is different from others. I have a 200-year life cycle, and when I turn 200, I’ll think about whether to die or not. I’ll think, “Should I keep going a little longer or should I quit?” Because in another 50 years, who knows what inventions will be made. In another 30 years, who knows what will be invented. So, I’ve decided to die at 80. The average lifespan is a tough thing. Nobody is average.
When I was going to school, my test scores were much lower than the average. Average doesn’t matter. Instead, decide for yourself. Decide your own lifespan. If you’re good at singing, like Utada Hikaru, for example, you can make a living from it. Singing is difficult. However, responding to others gracefully is more important than being a good singer.
When someone asks you something, being unable to say “yes” is unacceptable. There are also people who reluctantly say “yes.” If you can respond with a gracious “yes,” it’s wonderful. It can have a tremendously positive impact. Being good at singing isn’t the only thing that matters. So, if you were to educate children, just teach them to say “yes.” There’s no need for strict discipline.
Discipline is like when you go to a soba restaurant and after eating, if you can put the chair back neatly, that’s a big deal. After finishing your meal, instead of just leaving, put the chair back. If you can do this, it’s a big deal. That’s enough for education. Learn it by the age of 30. Spend 30 years gradually learning it, and by the time you enter society at 30, you’ll be fine. There’s no doubt you’ll succeed. People who respond positively will almost certainly succeed.
“Yes” is universally understood throughout Japan. When you say “yes” a lot, the next thing that happens is that you become the person others rely on the most. You’ll be asked to do more things. The more you’re asked, the more you’ll hear “thank you.” This creates a positive cycle. By responding, you’ll be asked many times over.
I would never consider laying off someone who always works with a smile, gets thanked, and is valued by the company. It’s about becoming the person the company wants to keep.
People who respond positively, even if they have their own businesses, will attract customers. Responses are incredibly important. “Yes” can also be written with the kanji “拝,” which means to show respect or humility to the gods or something greater. It’s a humble gesture. When you say “yes” as a response, it’s a form of respect to something greater. Reluctant responses are not “yes.” It should be a genuine “yes.” I’ve been teaching this to everyone repeatedly. This is our good quality. The things I teach are easy.
Now, let’s talk about the exception, which is the entertainment industry. The entertainment industry is an exception because people do what they love. They do what they love, and in the entertainment industry, they can somehow make a living out of it. However, the probability of becoming exceptionally successful in the entertainment industry is low because everyone wants to do it. In most cases, people are doing things that others don’t like. Things that others don’t like.
For example, digging holes in the ground or working on roofs, those are things that people usually don’t like. But they have no choice but to do them earnestly. In most cases, 99.9% of people are doing things they don’t want to do. Even within those things they don’t want to do, God has arranged it so that they can find some joy.
For instance, sitting at a desk and doing office work, there are people who don’t want to do that. They might say, “Today’s my day off, should I do office work or play golf?” and they choose golf. They actually want to become professional golfers, but they can’t make a living from it, so they do something they don’t like. Everyone is like that. Being a “professional” means that you have to do something that others find unpleasant to make money.
Therefore, people have a talent to find joy in their jobs. If you become a dedicated roof tile worker, for example, and your roof tiles are perfect, you’ll find something enjoyable in it. You’ll say, “My roofs are well-made,” or “They last one year longer than others.” You’ll find something enjoyable in it. Some ask me, “Do you have a job that suits me?” I don’t know about that. If you change jobs a hundred times, you’ll find one eventually. You have to make a living somehow.
The most unfortunate ones are those who are almost there but can’t quite make it as an entertainer. If you’re almost there, it won’t make you much money. There are good singers out there. Those who are almost there are the ones who are most troublesome, both for themselves and their relatives. They can’t give up.
Becoming an entertainer is extremely rare. You’re better off assuming you won’t become one. Instead, think about which path you want to take. If you choose the path of a merchant, stick with it as a merchant. If you become a roof tile worker, stick with it for life. Go up to high places or do whatever it takes.
There is no other way to live. What matters is whether you willingly or reluctantly do it. Those who reluctantly do it are in the losing group. You’re going to work anyway. Is there anyone who doesn’t have to work just because they don’t want to? Absolutely not. You have to work, and working means working so hard that your colleagues have it easier.
When you go to work, you can’t say you have worked just because you’ve finished your own tasks. Working means helping your colleagues with their tasks as well. That’s what working is. It’s not at all acceptable to say something like, “I came to work and just finished my own tasks.” When your work is done, help others. Be quick to assist and work together, and the person who does that will be in the winning group. Those who merely complete their own tasks are in the losing group.
Making it easier for others ends up in the winning group. So, help with other people’s work when your own is done. Do it quickly, and you’ll be in the winning group.
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