What did fighter Shinya Aoki want to convey at Dentsu Inc.?

This Design Talk features an unconventional dialogue between martial artist Shinya Aoki, author of "Strong Instinct: Your Own Yardstick for a Life Without Regrets" (hereafter "Strong Instinct"), and Dentsu Inc. copywriter Yukio Hashiguchi, a martial arts enthusiast.

We asked Mr. Aoki, a world champion across three organizations—"Shooto," "DREAM," and "ONE"—about the mental and physical mindset of a fighter and the lifestyle habits that sustain a career of constant combat, seeking insights for surviving in the advertising industry.

<Table of Contents>
▼What is Strong Instinct? Living by Your Own Measure
▼ Are All Athletes Actually Mentally Weak!?
▼You Can't Control Victory or Defeat, So You Keep Pushing Until You Can Say "The Rest Is Up to Luck"
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※This article is a recompilation of the event "Dentsu Design Talk Vol.185: The Strong Instinct - Shinya Aoki @ Dentsu Inc.".
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The Strong Instinct means living by your own standards

Hashiguchi: In your book "Strong Instinct," you unpack your own way of thinking and lifestyle in a way that business professionals can understand, which was very educational. So, first, "Strong Instinct" means living by your own standards, not society's, right?

Aoki: Yes. With countries and companies crumbling, and even the single "yardstick" of annual income becoming distorted, I feel it's crucial to clearly grasp what you truly want and love, and to live using that as your yardstick for judgment.

Hashiguchi: In the book, there's a line: "Finding something you love or can become engrossed in isn't easy. People who find it easily are called geniuses. What you become engrossed in is actually found during times of suffering." How did you find something you could become engrossed in, Aoki-san?

Aoki: Partly because my father suggested it, I became a police officer at 22, thinking "I want an easy life." But while others joined with purpose or a sense of mission, I had no greater cause. The job was just unbearably tough. That's because I chose my work based on someone else's yardstick. Being unhappy as a police officer made me realize, "What I truly want to do is martial arts. As long as I can earn enough to get by, I'll be happy."

Hashiguchi: So that's when you started living by your own standards. A clear example of you making decisions differently from society's standards is when you signed with Singapore's mixed martial arts organization "ONE Fighting Championship" (hereafter ONE) in September 2012.

Aoki: Yeah, that deal got me a lot of criticism in the martial arts world (laughs).

Hashiguchi: Back then, the American "UFC" was the overwhelming brand in MMA. So, from the perspective of irresponsible fans like me, there was definitely a "Why!?" reaction. In the book, you explain the reason: "For an Asian to become big in America, you pretty much have to be someone like Manny Pacquiao."

Aoki: Before signing with ONE, I fought in some fairly big matches in the US. After about three fights, I realized I was being booked as the loser. While the ring itself is fair, the way things were set up leading up to the fights involved a lot of manufactured elements and being carried along. That's when I found my place with ONE, which had just launched around that time.

Hashiguchi: Looking back now, I think it was truly remarkable that you made that calm decision without jumping on the UFC bandwagon, despite all the voices from fans and the industry. With your track record, you absolutely could have fought in the UFC if you'd wanted to. We all make choices daily, but often we decide based on vague feelings like "this seems better" or "it's got the brand name," using society's yardstick.

Aoki: Being with a big organization doesn't guarantee good opportunities, and what you truly want to do can often be found elsewhere. I think it's perfectly fine to consider your own happiness and what makes you feel good, then go straight for it. Back then, I wrote down everything I was thinking, and I became absolutely certain it had to be ONE. For me, there was no wavering.

Hashiguchi: Right, the act of "writing things down" comes up several times in Aoki's book. It's important for understanding your own thoughts.

Aoki: Writing everything down helps you see your situation objectively. On top of that, I think it's good to get into the habit of deciding things for yourself. After all, letting others make decisions about your life is risky, isn't it?

Hashiguchi: It's a common business scenario: while everyone's saying different things, it turns into compromise instead of decision-making. "If we combine everyone's opinions, this is what we get," they say. The result is choosing a plan no one actually likes.

Aoki: Even in work like ours, where we're self-employed, we can lose control by worrying about others' opinions. That's why I think it's crucial to have a mindset where you never let go of your own steering wheel, unaffected by others' standards.

Hashiguchi: In your book, you wrote that you wanted to live a "counterculture-style life." Was there a specific influence that led you to that?

Aoki: The person who strongly influenced me was the pro wrestler Kendo Kashin. I wanted to become a fighter like Kendo Kashin.

Hashiguchi: Ah! I doubt most people would get this, but hearing "Kendo Kashin" makes your stance completely make sense. If you don't know pro wrestling, definitely look him up (laughs).

Aoki: I don't find what the so-called mainstream people do particularly interesting. I always want to be on the opposite side. If there are 10,000 people in the venue, I want to do things like send a message to just 10 of them.

Are all athletes actually mentally weak!?

Hashiguchi: Next, I'd like to ask about how you build your mental state for work. You wrote, "Everyone's mentally weak; athletes just know a lot of ways to fake it." I always thought martial artists were people with stronger nerves than average.

Aoki: Of course everyone's scared when they're about to go punch someone (laughs). Surprisingly, it's easy to fool yourself. For example, first thing in the morning, I go outside, look up at the sun thinking "Today will be a good day," spread my arms wide, and say aloud, "My strength is gathering today," "Everyone is giving me strength." An hour before the match, in the locker room, I say out loud, "I won't lose!" "I won't fall!" to flip the switch.

Hashiguchi: While other methods are mentioned, I found it interesting how you focus on solving things through self-talk and your "body" rather than confronting your "mind." You also discuss the importance of the cornerman.

Aoki: Actually, your cornerman doesn't need to be someone who can fight. You understand the technical aspects yourself. What's more important is having someone there to give you that push, saying things like "You've got this," "You can do it," or "I'm right here with you." Many fighters hug their teammates before a match. They do that because it physically reassures them they're not alone, which eases their nerves. When I get nervous before a fight, I ask my cornerman to hold my hand too.

Hashiguchi: Reading that story made me realize businesspeople need seconds too. Just thinking of people around me as seconds eases my mind. For example, before a presentation, if I email my wife, she'll reply with "It'll be fine" or "You'll win for sure" when she's in a good mood (laughs). That alone makes me feel better, so positive words from others really have a huge impact.

Aoki: On the flip side, the worst are those who want to make decisions for you. I get that they mean well, thinking they're looking out for you. But even if someone says, "You should quit," you'll still do what you decided anyway. What you really want is someone to give you a push.

You can't control victory or defeat, so you just keep pushing until you can say, "The rest is up to luck."

Hashiguchi: Aoki-san, you're a fighter with world-class grappling skills. In your book, you wrote, "My grappling is 95% complete. Getting it to 100% is incredibly hard. Instead, it's better to have many weapons that are 80% complete."

Aoki: Once you reach a certain high level, improving that last bit—going from 95 to 100—is incredibly tough. It's the real cream of the crop. Putting effort into that is fine, but I think it's better to build more weapons.

Hashiguchi: I think this offers insight into current creative challenges. In the advertising creative world, there used to be a clear path to becoming a star. But today's advertising is like mixed martial arts. You have copy, commercials, digital—everything. There's so much variety that sometimes you just don't know what to focus on.

Aoki: While you need your core strengths, I think it's perfectly valid to have several weapons that are about 80% complete. Surprisingly, there are tons of techniques that aren't that hard to get to 80%. Having multiple channels lets your strengths shine through, and that becomes your unique identity.

Hashiguchi: So far, we've talked about how to succeed in business. Now, tell us how to handle things when they aren't going well.

Aoki: Whether things go well depends on your surroundings, the economy, and various other factors. When things aren't working, nothing you do seems to help (laughs). But even if you don't see results, the key is to keep going steadily without quitting or changing course.

Hashiguchi: Here's a line that personally saved me: "Everything is luck. Don't get cocky when you win, and don't dwell on losses. That's why you give it your best shot and get to a point where you can just leave it to luck."

Aoki: I often say in interviews, "I got lucky" or "It was just luck," but people don't react well to that (laughs). That's because our understanding of "luck" is different. Precisely because competition is unpredictable, I try to push myself until I can say, "Now it's just up to luck." Then, if I win the match, I think of it as being lucky.

Hashiguchi: I used to get depressed for about a week every time I missed out on a big opportunity (laughs). But after reading the phrase "Everything is luck," I've gotten better at switching my mindset quickly. Also, regarding winning and losing, I really understood the line: "Winning or losing alone is boring. I constantly check whether I'm expressing myself well right now."

Aoki: Combat sports inevitably tend to boil down to just winning or losing, but I always consider another axis: "Is my story unfolding in an interesting way?" I'm 36 now, and since almost no one stays active in combat sports for 20 years, people start hinting, "Maybe it's time to retire?" But I think, "From here on out, the more I do, the more I gain. Of course I'm going to keep doing it!" (laughs). Continuing, building your own history – that's the ultimate strength.

Hashiguchi: Regarding persistence, there's a line in the book that really resonated: "It might not be the form you envisioned, but it will see the light of day." I myself haven't reached the place I envisioned when I was a new employee. But that doesn't mean I've achieved nothing. If I told my younger self I'd be having a conversation with Aoki-san, he wouldn't believe it.

Aoki: Everyone wants to be the ace and the cleanup hitter, but not everyone can be, right? But that doesn't mean "there's no point in continuing." If you keep doing your best, you'll find your place.

Hashiguchi: So the strongest approach is to have your own standards and keep doing what you want to do. Thank you so much for today!