To protect yourself, cultivate a calm mind through "active passivity."

Hello, I'm copywriter Hirotaro Abe.

This series focuses on the theme of "interpretation." Allow me to propose one keyword.

How about adopting a " proactive passivity " toward the "now" we're living in?

First, let me explain this term "active passivity."

"Abe-kun, your way of working is really proactive passivity, isn't it?"

This phrase, casually mentioned by a senior member of the Tokyo Copywriters Club, resonated within me like a single drop creating vast ripples on the water's surface.

The Tokyo Copywriters Club is an organization comprising copywriters and CM planners active throughout Japan, primarily based in Tokyo. In 2015, I was invited as a guest on their podcast, "Ask the Copywriter!", where members discuss copywriting and work.

As a newcomer who had joined the club in 2012, I remember feeling honored by the invitation and leaning in eagerly for the recording.

The theme was "What kind of work have you done since becoming a working adult to get to where you are now?" We recorded six podcasts, each about 10 minutes long. During a short break just before recording the final one, as I let out a sigh of relief, someone casually said the words mentioned earlier.

To unpack the keyword "proactive passivity," I'll summarize what we discussed back then.

Once I reached that side, I realized I was still "waiting."

As mentioned in my author profile, my career began in the personnel department. As a new employee, I helped manage student internships. Seeing students, not much older than me, giving presentations with shining eyes filled me with jealousy. My heart raced.

I became aware of my heart's cry: "I want to be on that side!"

Four months later, passing a certain creative exam would allow me to transfer. That exam would undoubtedly include a task to write a catchphrase. Figuring that just overcoming my shyness and embarrassment would give me a head start, I saw my best chance not in pursuing "quality" for a great copy, but in challenging myself with "quantity" – to show the judges my drive and guts. Somehow, I passed the exam.

The following year, I became a copywriter, but my copy rarely got picked. I'd sit on the sidelines during meetings, barely keeping up with the discussions (man, it was tough...).

With the mindset of going on a training journey, I knocked on the door of a copywriter training course every weekend.

After three grueling years of getting my hands dirty to turn "good ideas" into words, I won the Tokyo Copywriters Club Newcomer Award in 2012—a gateway for aspiring copywriters.

I worked relentlessly, desperate to be needed, desperate to deliver results. Seeing commercials I'd worked on hit the airwaves brought pure joy. But gradually, I became aware of "myself waiting." Waiting for a high-profile project to come my way, hoping to make a name for myself. Waiting to be chosen by my boss as a staff member. Waiting to submit work to an award and be selected by renowned judges.

I felt uneasy about this version of myself, always waiting to be chosen by someone. Was this how I would keep working forever?

A way of working where I take a step in the direction my heart responds to.

Why did I get into advertising work again?

It was... because I wanted to create a sense of "unity" in the world, where people's feelings connect through words. Since I've developed the ability to think, if I have something to say, I should stop just standing there and actually go propose it myself.

No one ever told me to "just wait for work to come to me!"
Why not go out and create that sense of unity yourself!
"Yeah, that's it!" An event confirmed it for me.

I happened to be scrolling through Facebook when I stumbled upon it. News about the izakaya "Amitaro" offering discounts to anyone with "Taro" in their name. It was instinct.

"Spreading this is the job of me, Hirotaro, who bears that name!"

Once that thought crossed my mind, there was no stopping me. Slowly but surely, it solidified into a conviction: "This is fate."

Even without direct connections, I could reach out via Facebook. "If we do this, more people will learn about this discount!" I wrote a proposal like a love letter, attached the PDF, and sent it.

The proposal took on a life of its own and eventually landed the job. "Nothing starts if you just wait" is my belief. I take a step in the direction my heart responds to. I actively go meet people, think about what I can do based on what I feel there, and turn the "This is it!" moments into work. That's how I work, I shared on a podcast——
 
What impression did this episode leave you with?

Didn't you think, "This person is really going all out"?
To be honest, I myself thought, "I'm really going for it!" That's why I was taken aback by the senior colleague's opening phrase, "proactive passivity."

"Wha—passive...!?" My mind went blank for a second.

Ah, so action stems from reaction.

I've kept thinking about how to interpret the phrase "proactive passivity" and find my own understanding.

I believe humans are geniuses at adapting to their environment. Whether it's a new class, club, part-time job, social circle, or workplace, that initial nervousness when you first step in is special. Some people might feel excited, but everyone carries some tension in their chest.

But gradually, you get used to it. You adapt to the environment. Through the process of internalizing the norms of the place, in a sense, people become assimilated.

Then what happens next? Even if the famous line from the drama "Hanzawa Naoki"—"If you get hit, hit back twice as hard"—is going too far, wouldn't we start by gradually suggesting, "How about doing it this way?"

Ah... So reaction gives birth to action!

When I thought that far, it suddenly hit me.
Seeing students participating in internships makes me think, "I want to be on that side." While finding joy in the work before me, I question the "waiting self." I feel a sense of destiny about news I "come across" on Facebook.

What I've been doing, as my seniors said, was "passive" – pure reaction.

I couldn't just "think" or "feel" anymore; I started following where my heart led. Some say the origin of the word "kando" (inspiration/emotion) comes from the Analects' "kan soku dou" (feeling leads to action), but it's okay to start with just "feeling."

"No, no, it's amazing that you're taking action!"

You might say something like that. Writing in digest form condenses the content, but honestly, between the lines there's a lot of "moping" and "dithering."

Truthfully, I only move when I can't sit still anymore. I respect those who actively seek out new things and keep moving forward. But I also think this style is perfectly valid: working diligently on what's given to you while actively looking for opportunities to react.

Don't just accept "now" as it is. Interpret it, process it, and organize your thoughts.

 

This year, news that surpasses imagination keeps pouring in. To be honest, I'm stunned by how the situation changes daily, and I feel my heart wearing thin.

Our smartphones constantly bombard us with new information. If we simply absorbed it all as it came, our emotions would become chaotic and we'd feel overwhelmed.

Sometimes, we need to consciously step away from the information. When we choose to engage, I want to remember to be "actively receptive." Don't just passively accept whatever comes at you. By processing and interpreting it, I hope we can cultivate a healthier mental environment for ourselves.

I want to interpret and engage with things—not to be swept away, not to be rewritten, but to protect myself.

"That Might Just Be Your Own Assumption? Practicing 'Interpretation' Unbound by Someone Else's Answers"
Discover Twenty-One, 288 pages, ¥1,650 (tax included) ISBN 978-4799327371

As we transitioned from Showa and Heisei into Reiwa, and with all values constantly updating, each person's perspective is diverse and deserves respect.

Since the times are changing so much anyway, I think we should just go with the flow of this environment and engage in "interpretation" through our reactions. I wrote about how to interpret things in my book , That Might Just Be Your Own Assumption. I truly believe you'll find hints for organizing your thoughts within its pages. I'd be delighted if you'd take a look.