頑張ります– Surpass yourself
Living in Japan means opening the door to a different world where limitation blurs and self-constraint fades. Every Japanese person has a thrive to try regardless of time and place, this never-give-up characteristic has constructed the unyielding working culture in Japan and creates a unique vibe that amazes any foreigners coming to this country. The spirit of “がんがります– Keep trying” has gone into the living lifestyle of people that no one should ever underestimate the potential of development in Japan.
Origin
My one-year studying in Japan gives me a knowledge of an annual sporting competition in primary schools (運動会), where it is nearly compulsory for everyone to join the contest. All of those non-athletic students are encouraged to join the competition, and they participate not for the record, but for a more important purpose, prevailing oneself.
IN JAPAN, PROCESS IS AS IMPORTANT AS CONSEQUENCES, HOW PEOPLE DO TRAINING BEFORE THE COMPETITION IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE RECORD THEY MAKE AT THE EVENT.
That competition has nurtured the never-give-up spirit from the childhood. Although some are less likely to rank 1st in the race, during the training process, everyone has a sense of limitless attempting, proven by the better performance days after days. That sporting event does not seem to choose the best athletes for Olympics, albeit, watching those children with red and white caps practicing under the heated sun gives me a feeling of an endurance training, the method to overcome one’s comfort zone to achieve something beyond our imagination. The sense of overcoming oneself deeply roots into the spirit of every Japanese child then transfers into the many aspects of life.
Later in life
In terms of the professional life with job hunting and career pursuit, “頑張ります” culture manifests not only physical endurance but also mental vitality.
Meeting various people challenging their ability by working relentlessly overnight until early morning, but still be able to arrive at the office at 10 am the next day gave me a sense of this Japanese culture. Other people work a full-time job on weekdays and a part-time job on weekends. Compared to the Western lifestyle, Japanese people have much less personal space for their own necessity or relaxing moments, but they seem to get used to it. I asked them if they are happy with their life, they surprisingly answered “yes.” The challenges absorbed since childhood seem to have followed them towards adulthood period, engaging in the working condition to become an important part of Japanese lifestyle. If one feels comfortable with their life, there is no reason for the on-lookers to complain about hardship, because no one is clearer about their emotions than actual Japanese people.
Working overtime is not only about staying in the office a few more hours to finish the work. It is the enduring process that becomes harder after every single hour, the tiredness strains oneself and challenges one’s limit. Even if they are allowed to go back home early for comfort and relaxation, they choose not to but keep working and challenge the feeling of going home that hovers in one’s minds. A few extra-hours working is much harder than the first few-hours working of the day when vitality and enthusiasm are at the peak. A few extra-hours working for nearly every day is unquestionably tired, and for sure, energy and passion are drained much faster as time flies. It is the “頑張ります” identity that keeps them working, and because all citizens have been trained to challenge themselves since their childhood, most of them get used to it and are willing to challenge themselves to boost the working capacity. When the never-give-up spirit is the foundation characteristics of all the citizens since their childhood, the nation possesses the potentials to thrive and innovate. In this globalization period, when foreign workers are hitting the traditional ways of working in Japan, it stimulates a chance for innovation. And believe or not, when innovation integrates with the willingness to overcome oneself, Japan will move faster than any other nations.
“頑張ります” of Minervans in Tokyo
As the world-travelers, we understand the importance of health in maintaining our stamina for studying and traveling. In San Francisco, we have a group of people exercising in the morning before class called FIIT. In Tokyo, keeping the habit of “FIIT” and the spirit of Japan, we do morning training four times a week before going to work. A 40-minute intense workout every day cannot be called “頑張ります,” but exercising outdoor regardless of weather, whether sunny or rainy, does reflect a part of the never-give-up spirit. A late-sleep is not a good excuse for a day off, neither the rain nor gloomy weather. If it rains, we exercise and joyfully dance under the rain. If it’s sunny, we lie on the ground, looking up the sky and enjoying the fresh air of the early morning. We have been doing that for weeks, and I see nothing but stronger endurance and healthier body. I gradually have a routine to wake up at 6:30 am every morning, with or without FIIT. That habit encourages me to sleep early at night and wake up early in the morning. With that routine repeated for weeks, I have been starting a day with cheerful exercise which paves the way for the whole beautiful day. Now, I get used to waking up early without feeling sleepy, just like the habit of working overtime in Japan. Once I get used to it, the exercise is neither tired nor exhausted, but full of excitement and energy.
The playground when I had my first exercise was devoid of green, now has been covered with grass full of vitality and colorful flowers. The process to strengthen myself with regular exercise is just as similar as the growth of nature, when grass and flower are blooming from the empty dirt. Since then, I found one more motivation to do exercise is by enjoying the aesthetics of the Mother nature and estimating how many more flowers have been blooming compared to the previous day. It used to be a difficult process to wake up early at 6:30 am at the beginning, but it has become an important part of my life in Tokyo. The feeling of becoming stronger and tougher merged with the curiosity to enjoy the nature in the morning is inseparable in my interning period this summer.
Relating my living habit with Japanese culture is the best way to understand one’s tradition, and by doing that, I further improve my knowledge about Japan and perceive the spirit of Japanese people in a different way.
