7 Secrets to Working with a Calm Mind
When you are working, various anxieties tend to arise, don't they?
I made a mistake, I might get scolded by my boss or a client...
Will this work go well? Will I be able to produce results?
The worries about human relationships never end...
When you get caught up in these anxieties, you cannot perform at your best, and it can even affect work that should have gone well.
In my 14 years of entrepreneurship, I have also had various worries and anxieties.
And even now, those worries and anxieties themselves never reach zero.
However, since I started practicing the following seven secrets, even when I have anxieties, I have been able to deal with them calmly without being disturbed.
Even if the events happening in front of you are the same, just by changing how you perceive them, your actions and results can turn out completely different.
So today, I would like to introduce the secrets I practice for working with a calm mind.
(1) Let go of "for the sake of the customer"
The phrase "for the sake of the customer" has a very lovely ring to it, doesn't it?
It gives an image of being hardworking or sincere.
However, if there is "self-sacrifice" at the root of it, it will not last long.
I am working so hard for the sake of the customer
Even if something happens to me, as long as the customer is smiling...
When you have this feeling of self-sacrifice, you unconsciously convey a sense of "I am doing this for you."
Instead, you should truly want to do that work yourself!
You love that work, and you are happy just doing it.
It is a win-win for both sides to engage in that way.
The analogy of the cup and water
I believe that true contribution is like a cup and water.
Pour the water of happiness into a cup.
Eventually, the water will overflow, naturally spreading to those around you and making them happy as well.
This is the form of contribution that lasts.
Working through self-sacrifice is the same as "sharing your own small amount of water with others."
Instead, we want to aim for a state where you fulfill yourself, and as a result, others are fulfilled as well.
By the way, a way of working where both you and the other party (the customer) are fulfilled is, in other words, "making your passion your work."
I have explained this in detail in the note I wrote previously, so please read that as well.
[Jita Hokai Doryaku (Mutual Benefit for Self and Others)]
In Buddhism, there is a term called "Jita Hokai Doryaku."
In short, it is "Jiri Rita" (benefit for self and benefit for others).
Valuing your own interests and the interests of others equally.
That kind of attitude will lead you to your true calling.
(2) Let go of the results
You cannot control the results.
For example, no matter how hard you try, whether or not someone buys your product or service depends on the customer.
It is not something you can control.
Similarly, no matter how hard you work on writing a blog, whether or not traffic increases depends on the situation.
This is also not something you can control.
Suffering arises because you try to control what you cannot control.
When you worry about the results, your perspective narrows due to anxiety, and you become unable to do good work.
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Instead, let's focus on "what you can control."
For example, in the previous case, "carefully finishing the proposal you give to the customer" is up to you, so you can control it.
Also, "selecting keywords, researching what information people searching are looking for, and steadily updating your blog" is something you can control.
Focus on what you can control and put your heart into it.
Since humans cannot focus on more than one thing at a time, if you focus on the present, your worries about the future (the results) will fade away.
Both you and I can only live in the 'now'.
Let go of the results and give your all to the present moment.
【When spring comes, the grass grows by itself】
There is a Zen phrase: 'When spring comes, the grass grows by itself.'
When spring arrives, plants naturally grow.
If you rush and try to make spring flowers bloom in winter, they will only wither from the winter cold.
Things do not need to be rushed; if you work steadily and earnestly, results will naturally appear at the appropriate time.
Keeping this phrase in my heart, I am also in training to be able to pour my full effort into the work right in front of me every day, such as writing one note article or recording one podcast episode.
(3) Let go of relationships
In Buddhism, it is said,'Avoid bad friends and associate with good friends.'When we hear 'Buddhism,' we tend to feel it is a teaching that says, 'Get along with everyone,' but that is not the case.
The Buddha even went so far as to say that 'good friends are everything' in order to achieve the path.
The reason is, as I mentioned earlier, that we humans are greatly influenced by our 'environment'.
There is a saying, 'He who touches pitch shall be defiled,' but people, for better or worse, become like the people they are with.
That is why we must be careful about our environment.
By the way, in the Buddhist scripture known as the Sigalovada Sutta, the 'four types of people to avoid' and the 'four types of people to associate with' are taught as follows.
【Four types of people to avoid】
1. People who take everything: People who only think of their own interests.
2. People of words only: People whose actions do not match their words.
3. People who speak sweet words: People who flatter to your face but speak ill of you behind your back.
4. People of dissipation: People who are addicted to alcohol, gambling, etc.
【Four types of people to associate with】
1. People who help you: People who have an altruistic heart.
2. People who are the same in times of suffering and joy: People who do not abandon you even in a crisis and stay by your side.
3. People who speak for your own good: People who give you important information and advice.
4. People who sympathize: People who rejoice with you and worry with you.
Let go of relationships that exhaust you and cherish those that enrich you.
It is perfectly fine to physically distance yourself from difficult relationships or reduce the frequency of contact.
In a sense, this is close to the philosophy of minimalism.
Minimalism is also rooted in the idea of 'letting go of unnecessary things to cherish what is important,' rather than simply 'reducing things'.
Just like with physical objects, we need to declutter our relationships as well.
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By the way, after learning about the 'four types of people to avoid' and the 'four types of people to associate with,' I felt that I wanted to 'be one of the four types of people to associate with' myself.
How I conduct myself is a daily practice ^^
(4) Let go of multitasking
Humans, fundamentally, cannot multitask.
Even if it looks like you are multitasking, you are just 'frequently switching the object of your interest'.
For example, have you ever 'checked your email while in a Zoom meeting (thinking the other person wouldn't notice)'?
This is a huge burden on the brain, and in the end, both tasks end up half-finished.
(At worst, you also lose the other person's trust.)
By the way, the word 'multitasking' was coined after the invention of the personal computer.
Computers increase work efficiency through multitasking, but humans are different.
Humans are not computers.
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By the way, multitasking has the following negative effects:
Multitasking takes 40% more time compared to single-tasking
Negative impact on the brain (weakens parts related to empathy, cognition, and emotional regulation)
Multitasking lowers IQ (it can actually lower your IQ to the same level as if you had smoked marijuana!)
Leads to burnout (due to excessive brain load and the effects of stress hormones)
In the end, multitasking just leaves you flustered, and productivity is actually negative.
It means your mind won't be calm, and it only has negative consequences.
Everything should be 'one thing at a time'.
To prevent these issues, let's keep 'one thing at a time' in mind.
Focus on what is right in front of you.
Stick to single-tasking.
Just by doing this, your work productivity will increase, and the burden on your brain will be reduced.
【No multitasking allowed】
By the way, the world of Zen rejects 'doing things while doing other things.'
This also ultimately means to stop multitasking and focus on the present.
When cleaning, focus on cleaning.
When eating, focus on eating.
At all times, put your heart into what is in front of you.
It does not allow for 'doing things while doing other things,' like eating while looking at your smartphone.
(Incidentally, results show that eating while looking at a smartphone confuses the brain, prevents the digestive system from working properly, and is bad for your body.)
I, too, am training daily so as not to give in to the temptation of multitasking.
(5) Let go of your weaknesses
No matter how hard you try at work you are bad at, you will at best only reach an average level.
If that is the case, leave your weaknesses to others and focus on what you are good at and what you enjoy.
For example, I am bad at checking for fine details like typos and omissions.
That is why I entrust that work to a staff member named Y, who loves checking and is good at it.
Also, I am bad at sales. (I have a lot of weaknesses, don't I? Haha)
That is why I let go of sales and started focusing on copywriting, which I am good at (conveying the benefits of products and services through text so that people buy without me having to sell).
As a result, I can now sell without having to do sales.
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As the saying goes, "What one likes, one does well"; people shine brightest when they are focused on what they love.
Incidentally, I love work that involves "teaching," "speaking," and "writing," so I focus primarily on the following types of work.
Seminars and video courses
Podcasts
Blogs (this Note)
Email newsletters
What if I had kept trying hard at sales, which I am not good at?
What if I were still in charge of checking tasks?
I surely would not be who I am today.
[Ninnin, kotogotoku, dokinari (Everyone has the potential to master their own path)]
This means, "Everyone holds the potential to master their own path."
In Japan, there are various "ways" (do).
Judo, Kendo, Flower Arrangement, and Tea Ceremony are all "ways" (that open up a person's potential).
And work is also one of these "ways."
The work you are doing now is the path that opens up your potential.
And the compass that guides you straight along that path is "what you like and what you are good at."
Let's make the most of what you like and what you are good at, and master your path.
(6) Let go of fear
If I don't do this, I'll be scolded or my evaluation will drop
I should do this
Actions motivated by such "fear" end up attracting the results of that "fear."
The more you act in a rush, the narrower your perspective becomes, the more off-target your actions are, and the less things go well.
Have you ever had an experience like that?
(I have ^^;)
First, take a deep breath
When you are feeling rushed, first calm down.
Specifically, I recommend taking a deep breath.
In Zen, there is the concept of "Choshin, Chosoku, Choshin" (adjusting the body, breath, and mind).
It means that "posture," "breathing," and "spirit" are the three fundamentals.
As the character for "breath" (iki) is also written as "one's own heart" (kokoro), it is clear that it has a strong influence on one's mental state.
Incidentally,in New York City, all public schools are required to implement mindful breathing exercises every day.
The target range is from kindergarteners to high school seniors.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has long practiced meditation, wellness techniques, and yoga, and it is amazing that these have now become mandatory in the city.
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When you are hunched over from desk work or have been wearing masks for a long time due to the pandemic, your breathing tends to become shallow.
The secret to deep breathing is to 'exhale completely first.'
Once you have exhaled everything, the air will naturally flow back in.
If possible, I recommend taking deep breaths outdoors.
It serves as a light walk, loosens up your body, and kills two birds with one stone.
【Acting from Love】
Once your mind is calm, try to think about acting from 'love' rather than 'fear.'
If you were love, what could you do?
What can you do by utilizing your likes and strengths?
When you think from the perspective of love, your actions and feelings will be vastly different even when facing the same situation.
Try to keep your actions motivated by love, not fear.
(7) Let go of 'blaming others'
This may be sudden, but do you know the 'three reasons for Konosuke Matsushita's success'?
When we hear 'reasons for success,' we tend to imagine things like 'having connections.'
However, the three things Konosuke Matsushita cited were as follows:
Being poor
Having no academic background
Having a weak constitution
These three things would normally be seen as 'reasons for failure.'
However, Konosuke Matsushita spoke as follows:
Thanks to being poor, I was able to think about working hard and felt grateful for even a small amount of money.
Thanks to having no academic background, I was able to honestly ask others to teach me.
Thanks to having a weak constitution, I was able to trust in others' abilities and delegate tasks to them.
In this way,Konosuke Matsushita viewed things from the perspective of 'thanks to' rather than 'because of.'As a result,
he was able to achieve the great feat of building the electronics manufacturer Panasonic in a single generation.
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This phrase, 'okage-sama'.
Actually, it originally comes from a Buddhist term.
When written in kanji, it is written as 'お蔭様' (okage-sama), but it originally comes from 'okage,' which means 'support or benefits received from others, or the help and protection of gods and Buddhas,' and by adding 'sama,' it became 'okage-sama'.
Everything is connected by fate, and we are being kept alive in the best possible direction.
There is a treasure hidden in every event that can occur.
Focus your eyes on that treasure and feel 'okage-sama'.
This will turn both your work and your life for the better.
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In fact, I have also experienced suffering from Kawasaki disease and from trying to force expansion.
I could have perceived this as 'because of Kawasaki disease' or 'because I tried to force expansion'.
However, as I wrote in the note below, I now see it as 'thanks to Kawasaki disease' and 'thanks to failing when trying to force expansion'.
Since realizing this, I have been able to work with a calm mind, and I feel that my numbers are growing without strain.
Summary
How was it?
Was there anything that resonated with your heart?
Now, I would like to summarize today's content.
(1) Let go of 'for the customer'
True contribution comes from working with a spirit of self-benefit and altruism, rather than self-sacrifice.
(2) Let go of results
If you focus on what you can control (what you can do now), the results will naturally follow.
(3) Let go of human relationships
It is okay to avoid relationships that exhaust you. And, keep polishing yourself as well.
(4) Let go of multitasking
In all things, 'one thing at a time.' Put your heart into the 'now' with single-tasking.
(5) Let go of weaknesses
What one likes, one does well. Delegate your weaknesses and focus on what you like and excel at.
(6) Let go of fear
First, take a deep breath. Fear attracts fear, and love attracts love. If you were love, what could you do?
(7) Let go of 'because of'
Everything is kept alive within fate. If you convert it to 'thanks to,' you can discover the treasure.
You do not need to put all seven of these into practice all at once.
Start by incorporating just one that resonates with you.
Even with just one, I think you will feel a difference from how things are now.
I hope that you, having read this note, will be able to work with peace of mind starting tomorrow.