Everything in existence has a flaw

#WordsIValue

Not to mention humans, even the atmosphere, will, and time have them.

I think this is one of the best quotes from The Garden of Sinners.

And to wrap it up,

If it's alive, I can even kill a god!

It just tickles my inner chuunibyou heart so much.

I have a personal creed that I've twisted from these words.

"Everything in existence has a cause"

That is what I believe.

It is more of a "principle of action" than a cause.

Well, this is just my personal take, but the factors behind why I decide to do something are usually the same.

It also connects to "prioritizing speed over quality in responses, actions, and decisions."

It also connects to

Especially responses.

No matter how excellent an answer may be, if it is late, it will make the other person feel anxious or dissatisfied.

That is why, rather than thinking things over before replying, I reply first.

This is especially true for emails and LINE messages as well.

Rather than just reading them and leaving them without a reply,[[phN_open]][[phN_close]]

"I will check and get back to you in 4 hours."

Is it just me who thinks

"This person is capable..."

when someone replies immediately like that? It's even better that they set a time limit for the next response.

They check it right away. And they're going to spend 4 hours thinking about it.

In addition, it's even better if they report their progress after 4 hours, even if they can't provide an answer by then.

It conveys sincerity, doesn't it?

At the very least, it gives the impression that the person manages their time well.

Yes, "time management"—this is important.

No matter how busy or free you are, by setting clear time limits and reporting times, you can give the other person peace of mind, knowing that "a reply will come at such-and-such time."

Furthermore, it can also give the impression that "I don't want to give a superficial answer on the spot; I want to think it through properly before replying."

If this phrasing is missing, and the answer provided after some time is unsatisfactory, then...

"Not only is the reply late, but this is the content? I guess I was put on the back burner."

It is easy to give the opposite, bad impression.

Therefore, just replying for the time being is actually important.

By setting a time limit, you create a task for yourself to 'scrutinize within this time,' which can also lead to finding a better answer.

Next, take action.

Yeah, I think those who read my articles understand, but I seriously take action the same day I think of something.

There are many times when I think later, 'I'm glad I acted quickly back then' because of that.

For example, if there is something that needs to be decided, and there are multiple options.

Then I will see them all with my own eyes and decide after talking to them.

So I immediately make appointments or reservations.

It's not just that, I am

"Wouldn't this be more efficient? Wouldn't it be easier later if I did it now?"

When I think that, I execute it on the spot.

Of course, the results might not be better than expected.

But by knowing that immediately, I can move on to something else or think of a different plan.

One thing I am careful about now is trying to improve things immediately whenever I notice something that bothers me in my room (though it's not limited to just that).

The table is dirty -> wipe it immediately

The coffee stock is getting low -> buy it immediately

It would be convenient to have this -> get it immediately

Doing things like this helps build the habit of doing small things right away.

As I repeat these small things, my work efficiency improves.

I feel like if I put all of this off, it would quickly turn into a hoarder's house.

Just having a room that looks good helps me focus on my work and improves efficiency, and above all, it feels good for my mental health.

I don't mind spending money on things that improve my quality of life.

And finally, the decision.

Of course, there are major decisions too.

But well, I'm not in a position where I employ a large number of staff.

I don't make snap decisions where one of my choices could potentially make someone unhappy.

However, I haven't faced a situation like that so far.

The speed at which I make decisions when the only person who will suffer a disadvantage is myself is extraordinary.

Among several candidates, I decide on the one with the greatest benefit for now.

If I actually experience it and find it's different from what I thought, or if I come up with something more efficient, I abandon it immediately.

Well, making a judgment is also a form of action, isn't it?

I feel like I'm wasting time worrying and overthinking things.

So, I just decide quickly, go there, and see how I feel about it in the end.

I operate with a trial-and-error mindset.

Also, as I've mentioned many times, I prioritize efficiency.

I learned these things from the YouTube videos MomoUme, which are no longer being updated.

If I'm asked to do a job and need to finish it by 3:00 PM, I'll submit a draft that prioritizes speed over quality first.

Well before the 3:00 PM deadline. (Response)

If the other person isn't satisfied with this, they can provide feedback like 'I want this part done differently,' and above all, since meeting deadlines is the absolute basic, I can provide an alternative or an improved version that incorporates their requests. (Action)

By repeating this process, what I submit gets better and better (and the number of times I align with the other person increases). And if I can get approval by 2:00 PM within the 3:00 PM time limit, I can move on to the next task.

So, I can think about what to do next. (Decision)

This is just a story from MomoUme, but if I apply this to myself right now

I am currently thinking about attending a vocational transition support center.

To that end, I will take immediate action first.

Contacting multiple organizations (response & appointment)

Making reservations, scheduling interviews for the near future, actually going there to meet and talk, and considering whether it matches what I am looking for (action)

After interviewing with everyone, I will immediately sign a contract with the one I feel suits me best (decision)

If I actually join and feel like it's not what I expected, I will immediately cut my losses and look for somewhere else (trial & error)

At first glance, this might seem hasty, but for someone like me who cannot be convinced without actual experience, this is the most efficient way, and even if it is a wrong decision, I can consider other options again.

And, as a bonus, by failing, I learn, and the quality of my responses, actions, and judgments improves.

I can apply this to my own habit, table tennis, as well.

It was after I played doubles with Shojiro, who understands me well.

Shojiro is left-handed. I am a backhand-oriented chopper.

Setting aside the fact that we were mismatched for a moment.

It's essentially like having two left-handed players paired up.

Since it was our first time playing with a lefty, it felt incredibly awkward.

But as for something we could solve immediately, even if we couldn't change Shojiro's dominant hand,

I could fight using my forehand.

This would require an overall improvement in my forehand technique.

So, I started practicing forehand serves for the first time in about 20 years.

Practice forehand receives and attacks.

In regular game practice (singles), I'm changing my serve to a forehand cross-court serve, and to strengthen my forehand cross-court, I'm focusing on hitting balls to the opponent's forehand and attacking aggressively.

From my experience, it lacks the power and speed of a backhand serve, but subtle changes in spin are effective. Since most players rarely have the opportunity to receive a forehand cross-court serve in singles, it's effective, and for short serves, it's actually more precise than a backhand. Above all, it increases my serve options for singles, not just for doubles.

Immediate response
Immediate action
Immediate decision

are shortcuts to good results like this.

Of course, this assumes repetitive practice.

If you think of this repetitive practice as a habit and apply it to your daily actions,

your room stays clean
and you can think more rationally,

which in turn boosts your self-esteem.

The big reason I've recently learned about being "rational," "convenient," and "efficient" is that I took the plunge and switched to a Mac laptop.

Because of compatibility, tasks, searches, and sharing become significantly easier and more convenient.

Convenience creates ease, contributes to an improved quality of life, and has a positive effect on mental health.

I have only ever worked in customer service, but I am better suited for work involving machines.

And that leads to attending employment transition support.

Since I start thinking rationally, I also begin to consider if I can do something else with my spare time and energy.

I also try to make that efficient, so I start handling things in parallel if they can be done that way.

I am strictly a single-tasker, but if I leave it to machines, I can increase the number of tasks.

Focusing solely on practicing forehand serves also leads to many good results.

Furthermore, playing table tennis itself has many positive effects, such as exercise, maintaining physical fitness, rational thinking through technical and strategic improvement, and social interaction.

That eventually manifests in results and achievements.

I often hear that strength training never betrays you.

They say that the more you train, the more your muscles simply grow, and since that becomes a visible result, it boosts your self-esteem.

I hate strength training, but I can definitely use table tennis as a substitute.

Since there is table tennis practice on weekday nights, weekends, and holidays, it means I should get a different job than the food and beverage service industry I've been in until now.

Everything is connected.

So, I've decided to attend Kizuki Business College.

I had many interviews, but this is one of the few places where I can specialize in writing skills, and above all, the management philosophy is great.

Yeah, I worked part-time as a cram school teacher at Kizuki during my university days, so that makes me laugh even more.

I had already downloaded a household account book app because I figured I wouldn't be able to get off welfare, and it made it clear what my wasteful spending was.

The biggest expense is rent, but that can't be helped. That can't be changed.

Next is cigarettes, but that can't be helped. I won't quit those (!?).

Well, when I play table tennis or start going to Kizuki, the time I spend smoking naturally decreases. (In the sense of a smoking area, that is.)

And the big one was entertainment expenses. Or should I say leisure expenses?

I stopped drinking alcohol, and I also quit using matching apps.

Strictly speaking, if I really feel like I 'want to drink,' I could count it as a necessary expense, but dating is unproductive in terms of both time and money.

It's not just expensive; it's a hassle, it's troublesome, and it's not good for my mental health.

Right now, my desire to improve my quality of life is much stronger than my desire for a partner.

Then it's only natural to spend money and time on COL.

Even if I had a partner now, I wouldn't have the time or money to spare for them.

Someone like me isn't in that kind of position (they're all at a class reunion).

Oh, I've been singing Mrs. GREEN APPLE songs a lot lately (in the shower), and I think my vocal range has expanded.

I sang Porno Graffitti for the first time in a while, and the high notes were easy.

However, the essence of Porno Graffitti isn't the key height.

It's the articulation!!

So, I'm downloading tons of Porno Graffitti on Apple Music.
Of course, I made a playlist, too.

You can't change others, but you can change yourself.

That's why I'm going to practice my forehand serve, which I'm not good at.

No matter how much friction you have with others, there are always plenty of places and opportunities to adapt.

Ms. Otsubo, who was my homeroom teacher in first and second grade,

you taught me,

"You must not do to others what you would not want done to yourself."

You taught me that.

I still hold that saying as my belief (probably).

However,

when it comes to table tennis strategy,

"You should actively do to your opponent what you hate having done to you."

I recently learned that.

I recorded that during my morning routine (waking up at 1:00 a.m.).

Morning routines are great. You can get various things done smoothly.

Whether you call 1:00 AM a morning activity is entirely up to you.

Being able to wake up at 1:00 or 2:00 AM after playing table tennis until 10:00 PM is simply an advantage.

This is also a form of rational thinking.

If you wake up, you might as well get up and be productive.

If you have no bread, eat cake.

If you wake up in the middle of the night, just think of yourself as a short sleeper.

Continuing this lifestyle has definitely allowed me to make effective use of my time.

If you don't have the money to buy a sports drink, just drink tap water.

If you can't afford to spend money on food, then don't eat.

If you don't have money for social expenses, then don't socialize.

Yeah, sorry. That last part is an extreme view.

With that kind of thinking, I'm somehow managing to get by.

I resumed playing table tennis, which I hadn't been able to do while I was swamped for two months, and the people I met there for the first time in a while asked me,

"Did you lose weight?"

But I've actually gained 5kg since my peak.

Well then, shall we live another day today as well?