This is the 14th installment of "Today's Book," a series that selects books to take with you on camping trips and solo travels. This time, we feature Tsutomu Uematsu, who makes rockets in a small factory in Hokkaido."To those of you who think 'it's impossible anyway': How to truly increase your self-confidence"is.
I didn't so much stumble upon this book as I actively sought it out and bought it myself.
I first learned about Tsutomu Uematsu when I was about 27 years old, and a senior colleague at the company I was working for told me about an uplifting presentation he gave.
This is a presentation by Tsutomu Uematsu, who speaks at the world-renowned TED Talks.
She speaks in such a gentle tone about her own experiences, and I've watched this video repeatedly at least once a month, from the age of 27 until today.
I've had countless experiences where I heard the terrifying phrase "It's impossible anyway," which made me extremely afraid of failure.
When I was 15 and tried to go to Australia alone, I was told that I was just infatuated with overseas culture and that I probably wouldn't come back speaking proper English.
When I confided in those around me that I wanted to become a fashion designer, I was told that my drawing skills were overwhelmingly insufficient, and that only a handful of people actually become successful designers. I was also told by close friends that I was dreaming too much as a high school student, and the list of things that made me feel down is endless.
I've had a lot of experiences since becoming a working adult.
When you're trying to start something and take that first step, the people who tell you things like "it's impossible anyway" and try to take away your confidence are usually the ones who have never tried "it" themselves.
Uematsu's presentation and this book were what cut through that wall and helped me regain the confidence I had lost. I wish I had encountered this book sooner.
This book begins with the following sentence:
"Start with something simple."
That becomes strength. It accumulates. It shines.
In life, it's easier to move forward if you take a bit of a head start.
Ignore the reasons why you can't do it, and just keep making your dreams come true.
