Most of the time, when I make a big move, people say I am out of my mind. But I don't think about how I can add to what I have today.
Interpretation
Taking bold actions often invites skepticism, but true progress comes from focusing on growth rather than existing comforts.
In this quote, Masayoshi Son reflects on the nature of making significant career and life decisions that might seem irrational to others. He emphasizes that while others may question his mindset, he prioritizes the potential for advancement over the comforts of his current situation, showcasing the importance of courage and a forward-thinking mindset in achieving success.
In practice
During a team meeting about business strategy, I could use this quote to encourage taking calculated risks.
In the early stages of Internet in Japan, many said that Japanese and Americans are different. There are 10 reasons why Japanese Internet is not taking off. I said none of them are right; it's just a time lag. And, of course, Japanese Internet took off.
I don't care whether the technology is invented by our employees. I want to bring everybody's innovations into our ecosystem together.
I believe the continually advancing Information Revolution will lend us the wisdom and strength to address humanity's previously unsolvable problems and help us make a positive impact on all of society.
I believe this artificial intelligence is going to be our partner. If we misuse it, it will be a risk. If we use it right, it can be our partner.
As a student, I had a hobby of inventing new ideas for products. For me, thinking of new businesses is like inventing new products.
Whenever there is a big difficulty, I don't make excuses. Instead, I say I will solve it even if everybody leaves.
Honestly, I do not experience fear in the mountains. On the contraryI feel my shoulders straightening, squaring, like the birds as they straighten their wings. I enjoy the freedom and the altitude. It is only when I return to life below that I feel the world's weight on my shoulders.
There is no more sagacious animal than the Icelandic horse. He is stopped by neither snow, nor storm, nor impassable roads, nor rocks, glaciers, or anything. He is courageous, sober, and surefooted. He never makes a false step, never shies. If there is a river or fjord to cross (and we shall meet with many) you will see him plunge in at once, just as if he were amphibious, and gain the opposite bank.
Fear is a healthy instinct, not a sign of weakness. It is a natural self-defense mechanism that is common to felines, wolves, hyenas, and most humans. Even fruit bats know fear, and I salute them for it. If you think the world is weird now, imagine how weird it would be if wild beasts had no fear.
There's nothing, repeat, nothing to be ashamed of when you're going through a depression. If you get help, the chances of your licking it are really good. But, you have to get yourself onto a safe path.
I am anchored on a resolve you cannot shake. My heart, my conscience shall dispose of my hand - they only. Know this at last.
There are so many ways to be brave in this world. Sometimes bravery involves laying down your life for something bigger than yourself, or for someone else. Sometimes it involves giving up everything you have ever known, or everyone you have ever loved, for the sake of something greater. But sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it is nothing more than gritting your teeth through pain, and the work of every day, the slow walk toward a better life. That is the sort of bravery I must have now.
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