"I might just be able to do it" – What is the power of self-belief needed by young professionals?

 

Shiraiwa debuted by winning the 41st Bungei Prize for "Producing the Wild Pig." His recent works include "The Desire Switch at R30" (Sendenkaigi) and "Hero!" (Kawade Shobo Shinsha). Here are the three principles for moving forward decisively that emerged from our conversation with Shiraiwa.

*Based on Chapter 2, "Becoming Someone × Writer Gen Shiraiwa," from the book " Waiting Won't Get You Started: Move Forward with Clarity "

 

Cherish unfounded confidence.

First, what is "confidence"? It's often said that "believing in yourself" is confidence. Thinking deeper, I wonder if it might be a "positive assumption."

Then, what is "groundless"? "Grounded" refers to something visibly verifiable. For some, it might be academic credentials, or perhaps achievements and awards. Because it's visibly verifiable, it can also be seen as something relative, open to comparison with others. Gaining confidence from this is, in itself, very important. However, as times change rapidly, evaluations become fickle, and grounded confidence can crumble.

That's precisely why "unfounded confidence" is stronger. It's something absolute within you, though invisible. This unfounded, positive belief might be called "will."

Mr. Shiraiwa teaches us the strength of such unfounded confidence. He says his initial motivation to start writing came from an unfounded confidence he had as a high school student: "Hey, maybe I'm actually pretty good at writing?"

After graduation, while studying abroad, he wrote travelogues for his family, filling 20 to 30 sheets of report paper. Encouraged by his parents' praise, he tried writing his next travelogue in novel style, handwritten in a paperback-sized book. He steadily built on this unfounded confidence until he felt compelled to submit his work to a literary award, pushing himself to write day after day. This journey ultimately led to his debut as an author with "Producing the Wild Pig."

I think everyone has moments when they feel like they can do something. If you believe in that feeling, hold onto it, and dive in, something will surely open up for you.

 

Keep striving to become a professional.

What defines a professional? I believe there are as many definitions as there are people. One definition might be that a professional is someone who possesses their own skill.
I'll quote something Mr. Shiraiwa shared:

"I became a pro after I started putting in the effort to become one (laughs). (...) The more I learned, the harder it got. Even when I could write something, I'd want to write something different next. Then it was back to square one. Writing skills you have to develop yourself; if you use someone else's techniques, it shows."

When you decide to become a pro at something, your starting point is zero. From there, you immerse yourself in absorbing examples of outstanding work and creations. But merely copying them won't make it your own. You need to shift your mindset from the moment you begin absorbing.

When you see overwhelmingly brilliant work, resist the urge to just look up to the heavens. As a professional, you're on the same playing field as the person who created it. Within that brilliance, you must find a fragment of "how I would do it." Imagine what would happen if you did. Share it with someone you can speak honestly with and get their candid feedback. Then, explore how you can apply it to the work you're tackling now.

Through this repetition, you cultivate your own skill. While "skill" might sound intimidating, I believe a professional is someone who constantly possesses that "if it were me, I'd do it this way" mindset in every situation. And this doesn't end once you earn a title and become a professional. In an ever-changing era, being a professional means continuously devising new "if it were me, I'd do it this way" approaches. It's precisely because you keep changing that you can remain unchanged forever.

 

Capture the spirit of the times and find your role.

2016, the present. What kind of era is this? Do we ride the current flow of the times, or aim to be the counter that shifts the tide? Thinking about this can sometimes make it easier to discover your own role.

With Mr. Shiraiwa, we discussed how this is an era demanding a reexamination of "how men live." "In the past, men had the duty to go to war. That evolved into the corporate warrior model. (mid-sentence ellipsis) (Now) there's nowhere left to go to fight, so men themselves have become the enemy."

Unlike the past, there isn't a single model or role to follow. Due to the diversification of values, it's becoming harder to establish a universally recognized ideal image of a man – someone everyone thinks, "I want to be like that." Mr. Shiraiwa shared that precisely because of this present moment, he wants to use his novels to give tangible form to the image of men who stand independently in this new era.

Regarding perspectives on the times, of course, people have different fields of interest and their interpretations vary. However, reading the currents of the era and positioning oneself in a role not yet present in today's world is undoubtedly something someone will need. Achieving results there might even change the flow of the times and save people.

What do you think? Mr. Shiraiwa cherished unfounded confidence, took one step then two, and in that process, explored his professional identity and discovered his role within the era. If you too consider what role your work plays, the world might open up a little more for you.

I hope you'll experience Mr. Shiraiwa's own thoughts directly through this book. Next time, we'll explore three principles for moving forward with integrity, drawn from a conversation with film director Daigo Matsui.