Create dynamic circulation: Philosophy “Altruism first 1”

This time, Inamori* spoke about the above motto in Kyocera philosophy.

What Inamori said is quoted with “”.

“ Naturally, we tend to be driven by selfish minds: I must take the option that maximizes my profit.  On the other hand, we sometimes think altruistically: I should help others even if it means sacrificing myself.

If we make decisions driven by that selfish mind, we’ll only think about ourselves, so we won’t be able to expect support by anybody surrounding us. Furthermore, our perspective will be narrowed down simply because we chase only short-term profit, and we may end up making the wrong decisions.

On the other hand, if we make decisions based on altruism, we’ll think about what’s good for others, and everyone around us will spontaneously cooperate. Considering altruism, we’ll be able to make the right decisions. To be successful, we are never driven by egoism but altruism with compassion. “

The reasons why Inamori stresses altruism are so important are as follows.

Let me elaborate one by one.

1. Bring about positive results over the long term

“ Some people take advantage of the potential buyers’ ignorance and sell something at a price higher than the market. The buyer just doesn’t know the market price, and the seller knows that if they buy it at that price, the buyer will definitely lose money, but those who are driven by egoism think, ‘He is willing to buy at that price, that’s his decision, so why not?’ If you are driven by such an egoism, you may eventually cause losses to those around you and cause big problems later. On the other hand, if you make a decision based on altruism, you will think of the potential buyer’s interest and you can tell him, ‘Don’t buy it at such a high price. I’ll sell it to you at a reasonable price.’ Superficially, this proposal brings a loss to you but it will over the long term, definitely brings good results for both parties. “

→ Many people do business based on instinct, as Inamori says here. This tendency is particularly strong in the real estate world in which our company is involved. In Kumamoto, Hokkaido, and the suburbs of the Tokyo metropolitan area, there are people who are trying to make billions in resale profits by simply flipping lands for development.

I have experienced bubble economies in the past, such as the Showa bubble, the Heisei bubble before Lehman Brothers’ clash, and the bubble around the time of COVID-19, and most selfish players disappeared from the industry just after each bubble economy. They certainly enjoyed short term profits, but it is difficult to make a profit over the medium to long term even under the recessions. In our daily transactions, we want to keep it in our mind that “God never supports those who behave selfish.” and to keep pushing ourselves harder at our work.

2. Get the big picture of phenomena

“ Unfortunately, there are so many people chasing such short-term profits and obsessed with money games. They are greedy to skim money over conspiracies and cheat each other. However, when the person with altruism overlooks that battle field, he can easily figure out where the traps are as he can have a big picture of games with birds eye view. Greedy players never see those traps as they are occupied with how to cheat other players. ”

→ We can learn the above lessons from the bubble economies. We need to simulate what happens if the interest rates go up, utility prices go up to increase the fixed costs. However, greediness makes you blind and always fully occupies your minds. There is no space in your mind nor heart to think about others. At the end of the day, under such an environment, you may lose trust in the interactions with others. You may end up becoming a narrow-minded person, and eventually lose fortune, fame, money, and trust.

In Buddhism, this world of bloody battles is called the “Endless fighters world,” and is considered a world lower than the world where humans live. To become a “human,” one must escape from the ” Endless fighters world “. When they get out, they can spontaneously feel the fulfillment as human beings, simply because you are pleased by others just as you do for others.

3. Create great circulations of good deed

“ Before making a decision, think about whether it will be good or bad for the other person, you should not see first whether it benefits you or not. Based on this analysis, you finally choose the option which makes both sides happy. Otherwise, you will unintentionally make an unfair decision which eventually causes unnecessary conflicts.

I think it is very important to simulate the consequences in your decision-making process. No one can judge who should be more benefitted than others. That is why everything in the universe must coexist and live together in this world. Think and create win-win situations in your life. In other words, altruism is the practice by which all living creatures on Earth can live together. “

→ Think of the other person first, direct your energy and attention to the other person, in other words, contribute and dedicate your energy and life to others. The energy you release can fulfill others, and that person can pour the energy he/ she generated to others, creating circulation of positive energy.

When we direct and interchange our affection and energy in this way, we would be able to expand circulation to other parties such as staff, customers, clients, or users. When this “giving” to others is repeated and amplified, our energy could be multiplied to a great circulation. I believe this circulation resonates with the will of the universe, and eventually brings the ultimate fulfillment to us both materially and mentally.

* Mr. Kazuo Inamori, the founder of Kyocera, KDDI (one of the top tele communication companies in Japan) and the top of revitalization project of JAL. As a well-known Japanese entrepreneur, he has been sharing his experiences and management know-how with managements of small to middle companies in Japan.

Further queries or doubts, please email to ytomizuka@abrilsjp.com

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