Daily Inspiration: A Lesson from Japan

“Man thrives, oddly enough, only in the presence of a challenging environment.”

                                                                                                                ----L. Ron Hubbard

Do you like fish? The Japanese do. A lot. They especially like to eat fresh fish. But the waters around Japan have not held many fish for quite a long time, and getting fresh fish to eat was quite a challenge to the Japanese.

So to supply fresh fish to the ever-growing Japanese market, many fishing companies sent their boats out to sea to catch fish. But the farther out to sea the boats went, the longer it took to return, by which time almost all the fish they caught were no longer alive. Japanese people did not like this kind of fish, and they did not patronize it very much.

To solve this problem, the fishing companies decided to fit freezers in their boats. They would stay out at sea for many days, catch loads of fish, freeze them and then bring them back to land. But the Japanese folks have become accustomed to fresh fish. They didn’t like the taste of frozen fish.

This was a challenge. How do the fishermen catch fish out at sea and bring them in fresh and alive? Then they an idea: instead of freezers, the companies now put tanks in their boats. So they catch fish out at sea, stuff them into the fish tanks and bring them to the market place.

However, because it took many days to make it back to land, the fish became dull after thrashing about in the tanks for a while. They were still alive, but they were very slow and inactive. The Japanese did not like the slow, inactive fish, and they didn’t buy it very much. They wanted fish freshly caught and active.

This was another problem. How do the fishing companies bring the fish in alive and active? To solve this new challenge, the companies came up with an idea; they still put the fish in the tanks, but now they introduce a small shark in every tank.

What this achieves is simple: the presence of the shark keeps the fish alert and active all through the journey from sea to land. The shark of course, eats some of the fish, but the ones who make it arrive in a very lively state. The fish remained fresh because of the presence of challenge (the shark) around them!

Brilliant, right?

This may sound funny, but we have something to learn from those fish. Challenges and trouble are necessary to keep us alive and active. We become our best when there are difficulties around us. Instead of avoiding challenges, embrace them. Have fun solving problems. If the challenges appear daunting, do not give up. Instead, re-strategize. Get some help, if you have to, think!

Don’t lean back and stretch your legs once you reach some height. Don’t lose your passion. Reach higher, set higher goals. Success is not a destination, it’s a journey. By doing more everyday, we become more. So put a shark in your tank, test your limits, and see how far you can really go.

See you at the TOP!