In this video, Masayuki Matsubara shares the learnings he gained from embarking on a business venture with Nick. He discusses how these experiences, which were both enjoyable and challenging, have greatly contributed to their personal and professional growth.
Learning and growing along the way
Nick: So that ties in all these elements of ikigai like change and growth. So for us that was this challenge. We expressed our creative self.
We had this sense of freedom and fun in doing the competition. I mean, all of the things we've done. But what's important when I reflect now is that these were shared challenges: opening the school, creating the language products, entering the web design competition, and it wasn't always fun and easy.
We had to work really hard, there were setbacks and frustrations, yet they were transformative for us. I really grew out of these experiences. I probably gained more confidence in myself. So what about you? How did these challenges or experiences change you? What did you learn from them?
Masayuko: These challenges taught me valuable lessons and helped me grow personally and professionally. We gained a deeper understanding of our strengths and weaknesses, and we honed our problem-solving skills.
Moreover, these experiences allowed us to develop a broader perspective and expand our knowledge and capabilities. We learned to adapt to new situations and think creatively to overcome challenges.
We discovered the significance of collaboration and effective communication in achieving our goals. But I wasn't good at communication, you are good at communication. I know you listen carefully and understand me. I learned a lot from you and I appreciate you.
Nick: Likewise, I learned a lot. We had our challenges at times and our differences. I think, looking back, if I was to do it again, I would probably approach it with more acceptance and understanding of Japanese culture. In Japan, things are done differently, and there is often less communication. You don't always have to say what is obvious.
I think I learned not to talk things up. In the West, we often talk things up and say 'We are going to do this, it is going to be great.' 'You should have done that.' 'Why don't you do this?' We are very direct with our language.
I definitely learned the power of– this is the situation, let's accept or move from here, and focus on what we want to achieve. Rather than worry about who has done what or if there has been a problem, just move past it.
It really helped me grow and understand relationships in Japan and accepting different points of view and not being overly stressed. As you know, I used to get really stressed about things all the time. Do we have enough students at the school? And all that sort of thing.