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You find an opportunity that interests you, but never open the application form.
Work is busy. You lack experience. You should prepare a little more. These reasons may all be true. Yet you keep returning to the same page.
Do you not want to try, or do you want to try but feel afraid? These words offer a starting point for examining that difference.
Words for today
The path you call dangerous is always the path you want to take.
Taro Okamoto — translated for this article
Original: 危険だ、という道は必ず、自分の行きたい道なのだ。 Source: an excerpt from Okamoto’s book Jibun no Naka ni Doku o Mote published by Shin R25. The English above is this article’s translation, not an official translation.
An everyday reflection on these words
Separate fear from dislike
This is a forceful statement. We do not take it to mean that every dangerous choice is right. What follows is our own everyday reflection, not a complete account of Okamoto’s intentions.
Imagine being offered a new responsibility at work. Do you dislike the work itself, or fear being seen making a mistake? Both can sound like ‘I don’t want to,’ but they are different questions.
Before trying to erase your fear, write down what you are worried might happen: a gap in your knowledge, less income, a lack of time, or other people’s judgment. Separating those concerns can reveal which conditions need checking.
You do not have to stake everything at once
Being curious about another career does not require resigning tomorrow. Wanting to draw does not require buying a complete set of equipment.
Read one job requirement. Ask someone about their experience. Draw on a sheet of paper you already have. You can explore an interest while protecting your current commitments.
You may discover that the reality is different from what you imagined. You can reconsider. Trying something is not the same as placing yourself beyond the possibility of turning back.
Keep the safeguards that protect you
Physical danger, unaffordable debt, illegal activity, and pressure from another person should not be repackaged as personal growth.
Fear can contain an important warning. The question here is not whether you can prove your courage by courting danger. It is whether you have dismissed a genuine interest before giving yourself a chance to examine it.
One thing for today: imagine no one laughing
Choose one thing you keep thinking about. Ask yourself: If no one laughed at me, would I want to try?
If the answer is yes, write down one condition to investigate next. If it is no, choosing not to proceed deserves respect too.
You do not have to decide today. Begin by listening to what is behind your own ‘better not.’
Read in Japanese
Source
Shin R25: excerpt from Taro Okamoto’s Jibun no Naka ni Doku o Mote (Japanese). The quotation, our translation, and our reflection are identified separately. Edition and page number have not been verified.
A little inspiration for everyday living
In my Rakuten ROOM, I share everyday items we might put off buying for ourselves but would be happy to receive as gifts. Browse when you need something. (*^^*) You do not need to buy anything to begin exploring an interest.
Shopping from outside Japan? Check Rakuten Global Express for its current forwarding services, supported destinations, fees, and restrictions before making a purchase.
Pre-publication checklist — remove before publishing
Fourth of ten drafts for five selected themes. Draft only; no publication date or schedule requested. Three common English tags applied. Verify and assign Courage, Decision, person tag and category; thematic tag IDs have not been confirmed for this draft. Add verified English related-reading and mood-navigation links before publication. Do not guess their destinations. Japanese version is post 297; add the reciprocal English link to that post after creation, with separate approval. Verify original quotation, source context, translation and image-use rights, all links and mobile layout. Edition and page number unverified; search demand unverified. Scenes are illustrative, not the owner’s personal experiences. Featured image not generated or assigned. The owner reviews the text, removes editorial notes, and decides publication.
Featured-image brief: landscape 1200×630, refined adult editorial illustration with quiet playfulness. Charcoal, ivory and a restrained vermilion accent. A fork in a path and an open blank notebook at lower right; no dangerous cliff, weapons, portrait, or reproduction of existing artworks. Largest text must exactly match the article quotation: The path you call dangerous is always the path you want to take. Smaller text: Taro Okamoto; The Power of Words; Translation for this article. Change line breaks only, not words or punctuation. Prioritize legible serif typography and generous margins. Review image-use rights before generation. Compare the result letter by letter against the quotation. Image verification has not been performed.