『The Key to Opening the Door of Life』
Author: Yujiro Nakayama
Publisher: Asamasha
Available available in Japanese only https://x.gd/BamGi
There are many stages in life.
Sometimes we face walls that seem impossible to overcome.
At other times, we feel rapid growth within ourselves.
There are moments when unavoidable circumstances force us to lie low.
And times when we suffer from losing someone dear.
Everyone grows up by climbing these kinds of steps.
Between finishing one stage and moving on to the next, there is always something like a door.
I call this the “door of life.”
(Excerpt from 『The Key to Opening the Door of Life A Doctor Father’s Letters to His Son』 by Yujiro Nakayama)
Recently, I picked up the book The Key to Opening the Door of Life.
The author, Yujiro Nakayama, is a surgeon and writer known for his bestseller Don’t Cry, Intern! and the drama adaptation We Are Not Gods.
This book is written in the form of a “letter from a father to his two sons”—almost like a last will.
At first glance, it seems like a simple letter from parent to child,
but as you read on, the message deeply resonates with anyone navigating life as a working professional.
There were many lines that stayed with me, both as a businessperson and as a human being.
Let me share a few passages that left a strong impression.
“Choice” means bending reality to make your decision the right one.
Choice isn’t just about picking something.
It’s about the courage and effort to make your chosen path the right one, even if you have to twist reality to do so.
This world doesn’t change much whether you pick A or B.
It’s not affected by anyone’s choices.
Your life won’t change dramatically either.
And this is true not just for you, but for anyone, no matter how famous.
Keep making quiet, humble efforts to look back on your hard-earned decisions and say, “That was the right choice.”
That’s how the door to your life opens.
The author emphasizes the importance of questioning common sense, thinking for yourself, and ultimately making your own decisions.
When stepping into a new environment, uncertainty is inevitable.
But because you chose it yourself,
you keep working to make that choice the right one.
Take pride not in the outcome, but in the process that led you there.
This attitude, I believe, is what opens the next chapter.
Living with luck
— increasing your total happiness —
People who are lucky think in a way that makes them lucky.
In other words, it’s all about your mindset.
When the same thing happens, some people think, “I was lucky,” while others think, “I was unlucky.”
There’s a classic example:
Q: You’re thirsty. There’s a glass with half the water left. How do you feel?
A: Only half is left.
B: There’s still half left.
People who tend to see it as B are happier.
They think, “Lucky! There’s still water.”
I try to cultivate this kind of thinking.
By consciously adopting a positive mindset,
not dwelling too much on the negative, and shifting your perspective,
you can create more opportunities to look forward to the future and increase your total happiness.
If you were to die tomorrow, how would you live?
— Life is limited, and that’s what makes us human —
People often say,
“It’s up to you whether you become great or not,
whether you acquire high skills or not.”
But that’s not true.
Growth comes from placing yourself in challenging environments,
from struggling in unfamiliar territory.
My mentor at Kyoto University, Junichi Fukuhara, always said, “Fight outside your comfort zone.”
Indeed,
you won’t grow if you always stay where you feel comfortable.
As an oncologist, the author has witnessed many people’s final moments.
That’s why his words about how to live a limited life carry such weight.
The average life expectancy in Japan is 81 for men and 87 for women.
But we never know how much time we have left.
That’s why it matters what we choose and how we live right now.
I felt that the courage to live fully in the present, not knowing when it will end,
is what opens the next door.
In closing
Both career and life are a series of choices.
And it’s your own effort and attitude that make each choice “the right one.”
This book gently yet sharply reminds us of truths that are obvious but easy to overlook.
I highly recommend giving it a read.
If you’d like to discuss career changes, recruitment, or hiring,
feel free to reach out.
Whether you’re excelling in a high-end brand,
considering your next challenge in this industry,
or a company looking to hire,
I’d be happy to chat.
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