Advice from Ichiro and 30,000 feet of bs
The passion part is to propel you past the inevitable obstacles. Baseball writer Jim Allen translated Ichiro Suzuki’s retirement press conference (part 1, part 2) as a labor of love. Reading things in translation you’re bound to lose things, but there are two passages in particular that are real keepers even if they may be slightly butchered from the original phrasing and nuance. First, on “advice for the kids” which is really universal advice:
“It’s a simple message, although I’m not good at such things. If you find something you’re passionate about – it doesn’t matter whether it’s baseball or not – then you can pour your energy into that. The sooner you find that the better. If you find it, you can tackle the obstacles in your way. You can go beyond them. Because people give up when they get to an obstacle if it’s not (something they have discovered a passion for) . I think you should try different things, and chose something you like rather than chosing something based on whether it’s easy or not.”
And then there’s this curious passage at the end of the first part, where clearly there’s some wordplay going on that gets a little muddied in translation. It seems to be funny and humble and is worth your wrestling with:
“–From now one what kind of gift are you going to give us?
“Please don’t ask those announcer-type questions.”
–You said this opening series was a great gift, but this feels like we’ve received a great gift.
“Nothing.”
“Please don’t say absurd things. But, still this (experience) was an amazing gift. In March of last year, I received an offer from the Mariners, and that has led me here today. Had my career ended there (in March), it wouldn’t have been unusual in any way. The same goes for the end of last spring. It would have been normal (to end it then). For things to turn out like this is unbelievable. I was thinking about it during the offseason (prior t o 2018), when I was preparing at the ballpark in Kobe to play in America. Practicing there in the cold was disheartening. My heart was broken.
“At that time, I was also supported by my friends, but at the end of the day I was thinking that my career would end quietly at the ballpark in Kobe, where I worked out by myself. Something like this is dreamlike. This is also a big gift for me. I’m not quite answering the question, but I have no gift for you.”
Maybe it’s just *your* 30,000 foot view. Christopher Schaberg, co-editor of an amazing book series called Object Lessons, took a closer look at what your colleagues are doing when they allude to “the 30,000 foot view.” As with so many bits of business jargon, their exercise is really about establishing power dynamics and reducing natural friction down to artificial, pliant smoothness. Here’s his conclusion; it’s worthwhile and satisfying to read from the top to see how he gets there:
“What presents itself as having the sheen of objectivity turns out to mask the inescapably subjective, individualistic nature of leadership and assessment. The view from 30,000 feet is precisely the one that I am going to explain to you, to situate and justify my actions — actions that will impact those over whom I am in a position of power. It’s not about flight at all: It is a vertical metaphor to negate horizontalism.”
Lift someone up. I originally grabbed this Maria Popova piece on the anniversary of Walt Whitman’s death because of a wonderful charge Whitman gives on how to live life. You should still read that part. It’s great. Upon re-read I also want to draw your attention to the way Ralph Waldo Emerson lifted Whitman up and encouraged him to share his work with the world more widely.
“Without Emerson’s emboldening missive, the young poet may have perished in obscurity. Praising the book as brimming with “incomparable things said incomparably well,” Emerson buoyed Whitman’s spirit and soon sculpted public opinion into appreciation. Leaves of Grass went on to become one of most beautiful and beloved poetic works ever written.”
Whatever you do and whoever you are, you probably have a sphere you influence where you can help lift up a new voice in which you see potential. It makes a huge difference. Do it as often as you can.
Those are the three bananas I found this week. Thanks for your patience with the dry week last week; I was battling back pain and a nasty cold and needed all the energy I had.
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