Athlete Brains: Dai Tamesue's "Fluid Pacing" Vol. 4

A serial interview column where Mr. Dai Tamesue freely discusses "things on his mind right now." The only set theme is "What is autonomy? What is tolerance?" Faced with unreasonable demands from a mysterious "interviewer," Mr. Tamesue shares his thoughts on various "things on his mind." Well then. What kind of stories will emerge this time...? Stay tuned.

──Last time, we talked about careless mistakes. But what about complexes—things humans should overcome, much like careless mistakes?

Tamura: We tend to translate "complex" as inferiority complex, but psychologically, this term actually has a positive meaning too.

──I believe it originally meant something like a "mental block," right?

Tametsu: There's a Buddhist story about a villager who devoutly prayed to Kannon every day. When asked what he was so earnestly praying for, he replied: "I truly adore Kannon. Precisely because I adore her, I beg you not to take away all my worldly desires. If they were gone, I'd have no reason left to pray to Kannon."

──That's an interesting story.

Tametsu: Meaning, whether it's inferiority, dreams, or hopes—whatever lingers deep in your heart—if it were to vanish completely, you'd be at a loss. In the world of athletes, they often say, "Once it's achieved, it's over."

──Like burnout syndrome.

Tamura: On the other hand, I personally didn't feel much "stress." When I think about why, it's because "competition has an end."

──Ah, I totally get that. I forget if it was ancient Egypt or Mesopotamia, but there was this most brutal punishment for criminals: they'd be told to shovel a mountain of dirt just one meter to the side. And once they finished, they'd be told, "Alright, now put that mountain back." They'd be made to do this endlessly...

Tamura: There are two types of motivation for innovation. One is "I wish things were like this." The other is "I want to solve this problem." The latter essentially boils down to "I want to relieve this stress." A characteristic of entrepreneurs is that they can endure the hardships necessary for success, but they can't endure the hardships of staying put. That's why they try to change things. Personally, I can't stand stress without freedom, but I actually enjoy stress that comes with freedom.

──I see.

Tamura: In the world of athletes, we call it "learning to relax," but humans can't relax from the start. Relaxation—that state where both body and mind are at ease—is only recognized because of the contrast with tension. In other words, it's only after experiencing extreme stress that we learn, "Ah, this is what relaxation feels like."

──That's true. If someone just tells you, "Now relax," you wouldn't know how to behave.

Tamesue: I suspect the relationship between stress and happiness is similar. Fluctuations are probably necessary in life. This might be a leap, but...

──Sounds good.

Tamesue: I often visit Bhutan,

──The happy country, right?

Tametsu: Their secret to happiness, though it might sound harsh, seems largely rooted in "ignorance." In this age of the internet and social media, that might no longer be the case, but I think being free from unnecessary information is truly a source of happiness for people. They naturally learn to "relax."

──Indeed, modern people do find happiness by intentionally "blocking out" information.

Tamura: Athletes experience something called the "zone." When concentration reaches its peak, that feeling arises: "Ah, I'm in the zone now." Think of it like being completely absorbed in a game. I believe it's the same as the cocktail party effect—blocking out all external resources and focusing solely on one point.

──That's a capability everyone possesses, not just athletes. The difference between top athletes and ordinary people is whether they can consciously control that sensation.

Tamura: People who excel at concentration tend to have a strong "autistic" streak. Those who struggle to focus often lean toward "hyperactivity." They're curious about everything and excel at "sensing" things. It's not about which is better.

──That's diversity for you.

Tametsu: AI's ability to "optimize" things boils down to "not getting distracted," I think. Personally, I don't have that much expectation for AI. After all, this is supposedly the third time AI has been born. This time, they said it was the real AI revolution! (laughs). Of course, many convenient things will emerge, like autonomous driving and remote medical procedures. But when you ask if it's an incredibly thrilling, exciting world... well, not really. How we deal with mistakes, stress, and insecurities. That's where I feel the opportunities for growth and inspiration lie—for individuals, corporations, and society.

(Interviewer: Web Dentsu Inc. Editorial Department)

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From Shiraishi, Athlete Brains Production Team

The world is rapidly advancing toward "efficiency." This trend is overwhelmingly irreversible, making the inconveniences and sensations I felt (or didn't even feel) as a child sometimes feel nostalgic. On the other hand, even in such times, the "mental knots" and the inferiority complex stemming from them don't disappear—they only seem to increase. Every day is a struggle, grappling with the immediate challenges before us. Yet, in conversation with Mr. Tamesue, I realize that even these "emotional knots" can become seeds for the "authentic self" and "happiness" we seek today, depending on how we untangle them. Through our Athlete Brains initiative, we aim to challenge ourselves to seek out and untangle these "emotional knots" within people and society.

Athlete Brains Production Team Dentsu Inc. / Akinori Hibi (3CRP) · Kohei Shiraishi (CDC)

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Athlete Brains, spearheaded by Dai Tamesue. For details on this team that leverages athletes' cultivated knowledge to solve societal (corporate/social) challenges, click here.