Japanese fans at the recent FIFA World Cup tournament have been receiving praise for their admirable habit of cleaning up the stadium after their team’s matches. It’s commonplace to see Japanese fans, blue garbage sacks in hand, hanging back after the game to pick up the trash everyone has left behind in the stadium.
Did you know that some schools in Japan don’t even hire janitorial staff, as the students clean their schools themselves?
So what is it that compels Japanese fans to clean the stadium at the World Cup, despite the fact that there are people hired to do it already?
It generally comes down to one word: “atarimae”
Atarimae isn’t easy to directly translate into English, but it basically means”natural” or “obvious” or “the norm.” Japanese fans may be getting a lot of attention for their cleaning habits, but they’re not trying to make some grand statement or gesture—for them, it’s simply a matter of course that one would clean up mess wherever they are.
Here are 7 Japanese concepts that have definitely transformed my life.
Ikigai
Discover your purpose in life.
Determine the reason you wake up each morning.
Choose something that aligns with your strengths, passions and the needs of the world.
Here is more on Ikigai
Shikara ga nai
Let go of what you cannot change
Recognise that there are some things that are just out of our control and that’s okay. Let go and focus on what you can change.
Wabi-sabi
Find peace in imperfection.
Recognise that nothing in life is perfect, including yourself and others
Instead of striving for flawlessness, find joy in the imperfection that make life unique.
Here is more on Wabi-sabi
Gaman
Preserve your dignity during tough times.
Show emotional maturity and self-control, even when faced with challenges.
Remember to be patient, resilient and understanding.
Oubaitori
Don’t compare yourself to others.
Everyone has a different timeline and unique path.
It’s important to focus on your own progress, rather than trying to measure yourself against others.
Kaizen
Always seek to improve in all areas of your life.
Even small changes can add up and make a big impact over time.
Shu-Ha-Ri
This is a way of thinking about how to learn and master a technique. There are 3 stages to acquiring knowledge:
Shu: Learn the basics by following the teaching of one master.
Ha: Start experimenting, learn from masters and integrate the learning into practice.
Ri: This stage focuses on innovation and the ability to apply your learning to a variety of situations.
Kenrick Vaz 