| I hear that Koichi Wajima, a Japanese boxer who won the world championship,
lost it and regained it several times, once said, "Be more cowardly." I will give the well-known sword-fighting duel in feudal Japan between Musashi Miyamoto and Kojiro Sasaki as another example. As far as I know, Miyamoto beat Sasaki, though both were master swordsmen fully confident on their strength, because, not fearing to be called a coward, he carefully worked out his plan of attack and won nature to his side. I have learned that Sasaki was defeated because, being too confident of himself to understand fear, his heart was disturbed by the unexpected glare of the waves of the sea. Likewise, car accidents are caused by drivers who become negligent because they are too self-confident and conceited. It is necessary for everyone to provide against an emergency and be careful enough to even be a coward. In the case of the management of a company, I believe that any human relationship, or anyone in the company, will never be successful unless the person in charge or the person himself understands the fear involved in business to the point that he or she is even called a coward. However, simply understanding this fear leads to loss of energy. People who understand this fear and, after taking it into consideration, can muster the courage to face it can be called people with true courage. Nothing is more likely to ensure failure than reckless valor. I believe that those who have cowardice in a part of their heart and make efforts to overcome it have true courage. |