Are you a person of integrity?

This time, I was given the opportunity to write a column to commemorate the publication.
We all get lost or feel stuck in our work. I wrote this book hoping it might give a little push to everyone who still wants to work positively and stay true to themselves.
For this first installment, I'd like to share why I decided to write this book—my motivation.

 

In every industry, every job, there's a waiting line.

It's said that in every industry and every job right now, there's a queue. The big names are still very much active and thriving. Consequently, opportunities don't come around for the younger generation. But that's not all. Comparing yourself to others, experiencing the highs and lows, drains your mental energy. This state of affairs drags on, bit by bit. In an era of rapid change, should we just stare at the backs of our seniors and wait patiently? Or should we compare ourselves to our peers to find our own standing?

I myself was once in that exact state. In 2008, shortly after joining Dentsu Inc., I was assigned to the Human Resources Department. After passing an exam the following year, I moved to the Creative Department. Holding the title of copywriter, I threw myself into my work. I wrote, wrote, and wrote relentlessly, aiming to win advertising awards in hopes of being recognized. Staring at the backs of countless seniors, I immersed myself completely in the so-called advertising industry.

 

Don't wait, move. Don't react, act.

In a world packed tight, the line moves slowly. At one point, I thought, "Is this really okay?" What should I do about this state of waiting in line? Changing my perspective a bit, I realized our "waiting time" is also our "own time." How we use our own time should be up to us.

So I stopped waiting to be chosen by the big names at the front of the line to "work together." Instead of waiting, I moved. Instead of just reacting, I chose to take action.

 

I move my own hands and feet to go meet people.

Even if I risk embarrassment, I convey my thoughts.

No matter how small the job, I shape each one into reality.

Instead of trying to get everything, I define what I truly value and move forward with integrity.

Your path is one you forge yourself.

 

I'll leave the specifics of how I took action to this book, but the moment I articulated why I work and took that first step, I felt truly alive.
Truthfully, I don't think we need to hold back because of our age or the company's tenure. As long as there's even one thing we can do to help others (for me, that was copywriting), there should be plenty we can do instead of just waiting. I felt this while finding and forging my own path in the advertising industry.

 

How have others moved forward with such clarity?

So, what about people in other industries? I became curious about how my peers worked and forged their paths—not just their work styles, but their very ways of living. Hearing their stories would surely offer hints for anyone seeking to move forward with conviction. With that in mind, I conducted interviews with six individuals. Drawing from themes that emerged in each conversation, I wrote about the episodes that led me to my current way of working.

● Moving Dreams × Screenwriter Yusuke Watanabe
● Becoming Someone × Writer Gen Shiraiwa
● Work That Stands Out × Film Director Daigo Matsui
● The Attitude of Connection × Comedian Muneto Ashizawa
● Expanding Your Place × Sociologist Noritoshi Furuichi
● Creating Your Way of Life × Manga Artist Toru Seino

If the stories in this book give you the push you need to move forward with integrity toward what you truly value, I would be truly happy.
Are you a person who moves forward decisively? Whether you are or aren't, I'm starting this column series to help those who strive to move forward take even stronger steps.

In future installments, I'll share how my conversation partners have moved forward with such resolve. Waiting won't get you started. Thank you for joining me.