[2016.07.15] “How to Graduate from Being a Person Without Confidence” – 44 Tips

[yuzurujenn]

Info: https://www.amazon.co.jp/「自分に自信がない人」を卒業する44のヒント-村井嘉浩-ebook/dp/B01IF1EQLO 

 

The Leader of Tōhoku’s Recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake Speaks Out
“How to Graduate from Being a Person Without Confidence” – 44 Tips

 

By Yoshihiro Murai, Governor of Miyagi Prefecture

 

Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20160724021502/https://www.pref.miyagi.jp/site/chiji-kaiken/kk-160719.html

Quote

◆Q-How many copies have been printed?

■Governor Murai I don't know. Like with my previous two books, I decided not to receive any royalties this time either. Instead, I asked that the royalty portion be used for social contributions. Since I cannot personally make donations, I decided not to receive the royalties, and left it to the publishing company to make donations at their own discretion. So, it has no connection to my personal income. I don't know the number of copies, but I assume it's around 10,000.

 

◆Q-Yuzuru Hanyu appears on the book cover. What’s the story behind that?

■Governor Murai Since Hanyu is very popular, I thought it would be nice if he could read the book. I contacted his father and asked if that might be possible. They agreed to help. We sent them the manuscript in advance, and after reviewing it, they gave permission to use his name and quote, and Hanyu himself approved as well. Naturally, Hanyu is not receiving a single yen for this.

 

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

Tip 11 – What people active on the front lines have in common is humility

 

One quality I’ve found common in truly remarkable people is humility. They are considerate and listen well to others. I believe this is an essential trait for anyone who continues to perform on the frontlines.

 

Spoiler

Yuzuru Hanyu, a figure skater from Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, is one of those people.

 

From a young age, Hanyu frequently won major international competitions, and each time, he would come to report his achievements to the prefectural office. With his bowl-cut hair and cute appearance, I used to pat him on the head and say, “Keep it up! Go win that gold medal!”

 

Before I knew it, he had grown taller than me—and he really did win a gold medal.

 

I heard this later, but on the day of the ceremony to present Hanyu with the Prefectural Honor Award, while waiting in the preparation room, he apparently put his precious gold medal around the neck of each prefectural staff member who had helped with the event, and took photos with them. Needless to say, they were all deeply touched.

 

Hanyu also donated the entire monetary reward he received from the government for his Olympic performance, saying, “I want it to go to the disaster victims.” For someone young like Hanyu, it must have been a significant amount. Many of the disaster victims were touched by his generous donation of such a meaningful reward.

 

I had also been curious about what kind of parents had raised someone like Hanyu. Before the victory parade, they came to greet me and politely said, “Thank you for everything you’ve done for our son.”

 

The saying “like parent, like child” couldn’t be more fitting.

 

I felt like I had caught a glimpse of the origin of Hanyu's human charm.

 

Similarly, the members of the popular idol group Arashi, who held a Great East Japan Earthquake recovery support concert at “Hitomebore Stadium Miyagi,” were also humble and admirable young men.

 

The Johnny & Associates team has continued to support recovery efforts in both material and emotional ways. Even when I made a difficult request for a concert, they managed everything smoothly despite their extremely busy schedules and made the concert happen.

 

In their press conference, they repeatedly said things like “For the people of Miyagi” and “We’ll always support you.” Over the four-day concert, more than 200,000 fans attended, bringing enormous economic benefit to the disaster-affected area.

 

Outside the stadium, booths were set up where disaster victims could sell goods, but some stalls struggled with low sales. Once the members heard about this, from the second day of the concert they began promoting them: “They’re selling this outside!” “That’s really tasty!” Their influence was enormous. Fans rushed to the stalls, and items that hadn’t sold started flying off the shelves. The affected vendors were deeply moved by the support.

 

During the concert, they even said things like, “We’re here because the governor asked us to,” “We appreciate the governor’s support,” and “If you want us to come again, please ask the governor!” They went out of their way to acknowledge me in front of their fans.

 

That kind and humble attitude, with genuine care for others, must be one of the reasons their popularity has lasted so long.

 

This isn’t just true for celebrities. Whether in business or politics, I believe people who remain humble are the ones who earn trust. There are some who act arrogantly, but those people usually don’t last.

 

I think that “humility” is rooted in a sense of gratitude. Only when you’re grateful for the position you’re in and the people who support you, can you truly be humble. I think that kind of mindset is one of the key requirements for staying active at the forefront for a long time.