Athlete Brains: Dai Tamesue's "Fluid Pacing" vol.26

A serial interview column where Mr. Dai Tamesue freely discusses "what's on his mind right now." The only set theme is "What is autonomy? What is tolerance?" Mr. Tamesue shares his thoughts on various "things on his mind" in response to the mysterious "interviewer's" unexpected prompts. Well, well. What kind of stories will come out this time...? Stay tuned.

──This interview on the theme "The World as Seen by Athletes" will be the final installment in the main series. Thank you for your time.

Tamura: Likewise, thank you for having me.

──When setting this theme, as the editor, I had imagined something like "a world honed to a sharpness unimaginable to ordinary people" or "a cold, ruthless world where every millimeter counts, like a sniper targeting their prey." Yet, the key points from the previous (#25) and prior (#24) installments surprisingly emphasized the importance of "vaguely observing phenomena."

Tametsu: I was surprised too. I never imagined you'd take such an interest in us athletes "vaguely observing"... (laughs).

──No, no. "Vaguely observing" is actually quite a deep concept. I heard this somewhere before, but apparently, the children who concentrate most intently in elementary school classes tend to gaze at the teacher or blackboard with a kind of dreamy, unfocused look. Listening to your story, Tamesue-san, suddenly reminded me of that.

Tamesue: That child isn't "seeing" the information with their eyes, but "reading" it with their brain. Simultaneously, they're embarking on a journey into the world of creativity (imagination). When that happens, as we've discussed, the pupils stop moving. Naturally, they get that dazed, vacant look. But I think that's actually a state of intense concentration—temporarily stopping the physical act of seeing things, trying to see what's unseen, desperately wanting to see it.

──Even as adults, we get scolded for it, right? Like, "Hey, what are you spacing out for!" But from experience, when you're thinking about creative things—like coming up with a catchphrase, deciding what product to make, or planning an event—you often find yourself staring absently at the mug on your desk.

Tametsu: Exactly. You're not really "seeing" the mug itself. To an outsider, staring intently at your computer screen looks like you're working hard...

...but you might just be staring blankly at the computer screen because the ideas aren't coming together (laughs). Speaking of which, at the end of the last one (#25), we touched on "marketing that observes societal trends." What's crucial in marketing is "visualizing" those intangible feelings—like "atmosphere," "vibe," or "the spirit of the times"—by quantifying and turning them into data, right? There's no room for "vagueness" there. In fact, it feels like the real challenge is how well you can strip away that ambiguity.

Tametsu: Data is important. But data is ultimately just a snapshot of a specific part; it doesn't show the whole picture. As an athlete, I feel this when "observing" recovery from an injury or peaking (Editor's note: adjusting when to bring physical condition to its peak). Sometimes, even when the numbers on the data show no issues, things just don't go well. The data says everything's fine, but somehow, the body doesn't feel that way. It's not about which is right, but I think it's crucial to skillfully accept that discrepancy and incorporate it with a good balance.

──That applies to corporate management or even raising children, doesn't it? That what the pupils perceive isn't the whole picture.

Tametsu: So there's a gap in both quantity and quality between the information the pupils "see" and the information the brain "sees," right?

──I see, I see. Well, thank you for another deep conversation this time. Just as I was about to wrap up the interview, something occurred to me.

Tamesue: What is it? (laughs)

──About those "eyes"—do Japanese people and foreigners see things differently? Watching athletes perform, even accounting for physical differences or varying abilities, I get this strong impression that their "perspective" is different, or that they see a different landscape.

Tametsu: I read in a book called "Westerners See the Trees, Easterners See the Forest" that Easterners tend to look at the whole picture with balance, while Westerners focus on one point. So, the ability to concentrate the pupils on a single point—both in precision and speed—is higher among Westerners. On the other hand, Japanese people tend to want to look at the whole picture.

──Vaguely, you mean?

Tametsu: That's why Westerners can establish a very sharp vision, and do so instantly.

──Vision, purpose... terms we hear often in business these days. So, from the perspective of Eastern capabilities, this was something they struggled with.

Tamura: This is most clearly seen in painting. Western paintings focus sharply on the subject, use perspective to create depth, and aim to depict objects with photographic fidelity, right? Japanese paintings, in contrast, are flat and seek to capture the whole.

──Wow, that's fascinating.

Tamesue: Of course, we can't decide which is right or which holds more value, but I think these differences are a reality.

──I never imagined our conversation on "The World as Seen by Athletes" would lead all the way to diversity. I'll look for a new theme for next time, so please join us again. Thank you for the enjoyable conversation today.

Tamura: The pleasure was all mine. I enjoyed it very much this time too.

(Interviewer: Web Dentsu Inc. Editorial Department)

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From Hibi, Athlete Brains Production Team

The third installment of "An Athlete's Perspective." There was mention of "data" that visualizes the world. An athlete's condition, in terms of numbers, might be perfect. But in terms of their own body's sensations and sensors, it might not be perfect. Numbers are results, while reality is constantly shifting. In that case, perhaps it's worth trying to view information vaguely, to make intuitive judgments. While data can reveal certain things, there are times when data alone cannot explain everything. In those moments, the "athlete's perspective" – possessing sensors honed through continuous refinement of mind and body – might be quite interesting.

Athlete Brains Production Team Dentsu Inc. / Akinori Hibi (3CRP) · Genta Arahori (Late Bureau)

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"Athlete Brains," led by Dai Tamesue.
For details on this team that connects the knowledge cultivated by athletes to solving challenges in the world (businesses and society), see here.