Life Principles

What’s Here

This is where I collect various ideas and beliefs - concepts that are worth using as a basis for action.

Lucky Surface Area

The “Lucky Surface Area” is a metaphorical concept describing the degree to which a person can encounter opportunities. Just as an object with a larger surface area has more chances to interact with its environment, people can increase their chances of encountering opportunities by expanding their knowledge, skill sets, and social networks. This concept reminds us to:

  • Continuously learn new knowledge and skills
  • Actively participate in various activities and social interactions
  • Maintain an open mindset
  • Be brave in trying new things
    Through these actions, we can expand our “Lucky Surface Area” and create more opportunities.

Ikigai

Ikigai (生き甲斐) is a Japanese concept representing “the reason for being” or “the value of life.” This concept is formed by the overlap of four elements:

  1. What you love (Passion)
  2. What you are good at (Mission)
  3. What the world needs (Vocation)
  4. What you can be paid for (Profession)
    When these four elements overlap, you find your life’s meaning and purpose. This concept teaches us to balance passion, ability, societal needs, and practical considerations when choosing our life path.

Kintsugi

Kintsugi (金継ぎ) is a Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold powder. This repair doesn’t try to hide the damage but rather highlights its existence, making it part of the object’s history. This concept embodies several profound life philosophies:

  • Accepting flaws and trauma
  • Rebirth from failure
  • Appreciating imperfect beauty
  • Viewing setbacks as opportunities for growth
    This reminds us that life’s setbacks and pain can be transformed into unique value.

Golden Circle

The Golden Circle is a concept proposed by Simon Sinek that describes how influential leaders and organizations think. This circle is divided into three layers from inside out:

  1. Why: Core beliefs and goals
  2. How: Methods to achieve goals
  3. What: Specific actions and products
    This concept emphasizes that truly influential people and organizations start thinking from “Why” rather than “What.” It teaches us to clarify our core values and beliefs when making decisions.

The Feynman Technique

This learning method was developed by Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman and consists of four steps:

  1. Choose a concept and explain it in simple terms
  2. Identify knowledge gaps
  3. Relearn and understand difficult parts
  4. Simplify the explanation and use analogies

The core principle of this method is: if you can’t explain a concept in simple terms, you probably don’t truly understand it. This method is not only useful for learning but also for testing your understanding of any field.