“Consistent effort never betrays you”: The story of an office worker in his late 30s who changed his life through certifications, strength training, and road biking

Even if you are busy or lack confidence, you can change your life. This is the story of an office worker who changed his future through the “power of consistency.”

■ Can an ordinary office worker change by being consistent?

I am an ordinary office worker, just like anyone else.
And I am in my late 30s, the so-called “around-40” generation.
At work, I am a mid-level employee; I have seniority, but no particular knowledge, skills, or achievements to boast about. I spend my days feeling anxious seeing my talented peers and juniors.
At home, I am part of a dual-income household raising two children.
In a daily life where I cannot cut corners on housework or childcare, I have always carried a sense of “fuzziness,” feeling like “I have things I want to do, but no time” or “I know what I should do, but I can’t take action.”
One day, I suddenly thought:
“If I reach 10 years from now without changing anything, will I have any regrets?”
I want to create a place for myself at work.
I want to have my own strength, independent of company evaluations or titles.
I want to protect my family while living a life I can be satisfied with myself.
When I thought that, the first thing I started was “getting certifications.”

■ No time? But I have to do it

Once you have a family, your own time becomes truly limited.
I put the kids to bed, and before I know it, the date has changed.
I can’t use my days off freely either.
I once thought, “I’ll do it when the kids are older,” but that day probably won’t come.
The first thing I challenged was the Nissho Bookkeeping Level 2. Since then, I have accumulated certifications one by one, including Real Estate Notary, 2nd Grade FP Technician, Small and Medium Enterprise Management Consultant, Business Rehabilitation Advisor, Nissho PC Professional Certification, and IT Passport, among others. I am not the type who learns quickly. I feel that the accumulation and consistency of just 5 or 10 minutes—studying on the commuter train, while doing housework or putting the kids to bed, or listening to audio lessons while driving—is what changed me.
I want to continue learning and keep moving toward my ideal future.
I am currently studying for the Business Law Examination Level 2, and I am also considering the Tax Accountant exam in the future✨
The article below is where I wrote down my thoughts regarding certifications.

■ I also faced my own body

I started worrying about my physique in my late 20s, and by my 30s, I had achieved a “slovenly dad bod.”
I decided this wouldn't do and made a fresh start. I worked on transforming my body, focusing on diet management, strength training at the gym twice a week, and aerobic exercise, and I successfully lost 17kg in a year without strain. I am still continuing, but the moment I looked in the mirror and saw my abs slightly showing and myself getting closer to a lean, muscular build, I thought, “Oh…,” and from the bottom of my heart, I believed, “If I do it, I can do it.” This, too, is the same as getting certifications. It is a result obtained through “accumulation” and “consistency.”
I am thinking of participating in a Spartan Race in the future.
Here is the weight loss article.
I am truly happy that so many people have read it.
First, here is the achievement disclosure edition.

And this is the diet management edition.

And this is the final exercise and sleep edition.

■ What road biking taught me

A hobby that has enriched my life is road biking.
I have loved riding bicycles since I was in elementary school. After becoming a working adult, I started road biking in earnest, joined a social club to ride with friends in various places, traveled to many locations using youth hostels as bases—such as in Hokkaido and Okinawa—and participated in races held at Suzuka Circuit and Okayama International Circuit, enjoying it to the fullest. I am thinking of participating in a Brevet in the future.
The reason I love road biking is, obviously, because if you turn the pedals, you steadily move forward. And there are moments when you look back at the road you have traveled and realize, “Have I really come this far?” This is my favorite moment while riding a road bike.
This feeling is the same for studying for certifications and strength training. When you are desperate about what is right in front of you, you don't notice it, but when you look back, you have steadily moved forward. Before you know it, you have moved forward surprisingly far. That “sense of having accumulated” supports me. Road biking has taught me that it is important not only to move forward but also to look back sometimes.

The article below is a record of when I rode my road bike through Eastern Hokkaido. I wrote it while thinking about what I learned from road biking and about my family. Please read it if you like🙏

The sequel is here📘

■ The phrase I encountered in high school: “Slow but Steady”

When I was in high school, a phrase I saw on TV still supports me today.
It is the motto of Izuru Shinmura, the editor of the Kojien dictionary:
“Slow but Steady,” which means “slowly but surely.”
Back then, I often felt impatient wanting immediate results or lost confidence by comparing myself to others. But after encountering this phrase, I became able to think, “Even if I don't get results immediately, it's fine if I keep at it steadily,” and “It's fine to go at my own pace.” Since I am human, there are many times when I feel impatient or anxious, but when that happens, I try to remember this phrase.
This phrase supports all my challenges, including university entrance exams, certification studies, road biking, and strength training. I have remembered this phrase especially when things weren't going well. “Slow but Steady”—it may be ordinary, but it is my support.

Also, I strongly resonated with the “1.01 Rule” taught to me by a senior Small and Medium Enterprise Management Consultant. If you repeat 1.01 for 365 days, it becomes 37 times, whereas if you continue 0.99, it becomes almost zero. This way of thinking overlaps with “Slow but Steady.” It was the moment when the values I had cherished for a long time turned into conviction.

■ The existence of “manga” that supported me

I have loved manga since I was young, and I have been saved by manga even in difficult times.
Among them, the famous quote by Tanjiro from Demon Slayer strikes a chord:
“Do your best!! Because I’ve always been able to do nothing but do my best.”
I am the same. I am clumsy, but I have no choice but to do my best, step by step.
There is much to learn from manga as well. For me, that is also “one form of learning.”

■ How to make the most of certifications

The certifications I have earned so far include SME Consultant, Real Estate Notary, Bookkeeping, and Financial Planner.
I am also interested in other certifications. I want to share not just about the certifications themselves, but also about "how to combine them" and "how to apply them to practical work."
I believe certifications are not the goal, but a "means" to broaden your life.

■ To you, who are struggling in the same way

I hope this note reaches people like this:
・Too busy to do what you want to do
・Have the motivation but can't take action
・The forty-something generation who thinks, "Maybe it's too late" or "What's the point of starting now..."

I was the same way.
But if you stack up small steps, you can definitely change.
At first, a step so small it's almost embarrassing is fine. If you continue without rushing, the day will come when you look back and realize, "I've come this far."

■ The future I am going to paint

In the future, I want to continue working by leveraging my expertise based on remote work in a quiet town surrounded by nature. While enjoying my hobbies of road biking and strength training, and valuing time with my family, I want to pursue a "region x expertise x my own way of living and working." To that end, I want to move forward steadily, even if it's slowly.

■ Themes I want to write about in the future

・Certification acquisition techniques for busy people
・How to combine certifications and connect them to practical work
・Records of my hobbies: road biking, travel, and strength training
・Tips for losing 17kg and making strength training a habit
・Things you can do for a happy marriage
・Balancing parenting and career
・Time with family
・A second start for those in their forties
・How to realize a slow life x expertise x remote work

If there is someone out there struggling just like I was in the past, I would be happy if this note could give even the slightest push to your "first step." Let's move forward together, even if it's slowly but surely.

Thank you for reading this far. If you felt this article was even a little bit good, it would encourage me if you could "like," "follow," or "comment"!
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