Very few movies come along that impact me as powerfully as the documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi.
How can an 85 year old man, with a restaurant seating 10 people, receive the highest possible rating from Michelin, charge $365 a meal, and serve nothing but sushi? That's right, no appetizers, no desert, no side dishes, just sushi.
Sushi is all you’re getting.. and sushi is all you'll want.
Jiro has been deemed by experts to be the best sushi chef in the world. How good? A 3 star rating from Michelin is reserved for restaurants where the food is so good that it is, “Worth traveling to the country just to eat there.”
But that is only part of what makes Jiro Dreams of Sushi an interesting story.
How this man developed a reputation for the best sushi in the world is where this story gets very interesting.
Early in his difficult life, Jiro threw himself into becoming the very best sushi chef he could possibly be. He never set out to become the best in the world, or become rich. However, those extraneous things happened as a result of doing his very best every single day. Hence the title of the documentary; desiring to improve his skills every day led him to, "Dream about sushi."
Here are some quotes from the chef himself and one from his son:
“ Once you decide on your occupation… you must immerse yourself in your work. You have to fall in love with your work. Never complain about your job. You must dedicate your life to mastering your skill. That’s the secret of success… and is the key to being regarded honorably.”-Jiro Ono
“I've never once hated this job. I fell in love with my work and gave my life to it. Even though I'm eighty five years old, I don't feel like retiring. That's how I feel.”-Jiro Ono
“Always look ahead and above yourself. Always try to improve on yourself. Always strive to elevate your craft. That's what he taught me."- Yoshikazu Ono
"I do the same thing over and over, improving bit by bit. There is always a yearning to achieve more. I'll continue to climb, trying to reach the top, but no one knows where the top is."-Jiro Ono
Now, to be fair, you'll see that this kind of intense striving can lead to some poor fathering. He admits that he was not a good father. However, despite this fact, both of his sons have taken up their old man's craft, and pursue it with similar enthusiasm.
Do you know anyone with a similar dedication to their craft? I do. My wife is a dental hygienist and an instructor at a college, training dental hygiene students. While she never dedicated so much time that she came close to putting her craft above her duties as a mother, she was always improving, always wanting to be better, and wanting to stay abreast of the latest research and techniques. I love this about her. I don't get it, (why someone would be so interested in teeth and the mouth with that kind of dedication)... but I love it.
Many years ago, I figured out that most of the people who turn out to be interesting are usually those who are interested in excelling at something. What do you excel at? Do your customers and coworkers perceive you to be dedicated to excellence?
Whether they do or don't, know this: It is never too late to become seriously dedicating to doing something every day, improve what you offer, what you know, or how you serve.
Join the WorkPuzzle Discussion at the Tidemark Online Community (TMOC)
Engage in the WorkPuzzle discussion by joining the TMOC private social network. Commenting on a public blog like WorkPuzzle can be a little intimidating, so why not join the discussion inside the privacy of the TMOC discussion group?
By joining TMOC, you'll get to see who else is in the group and your comments will only be seen by those whom you trust. Joining TMOC is quick, easy, and free (no kidding…this takes less than 2 minutes). To get started, click here.
Already of a member of TMOC? If so, join the WorkPuzzle Dialog Group by clicking on the WorkPuzzle Group icon on the left side of your TMOC homepage. Questions? Email the WorkPuzzle editor (workpuzzle@hiringcenter.net) and we'll walk through the process.
Editor's Note: This article was written by Dr. David Mashburn. Dave is a Clinical and Consulting Psychologist, a Partner at Tidemark, Inc. and a regular contributor to WorkPuzzle. Comments or questions are welcome. If you're an email subscriber, reply to this WorkPuzzle email. If you read the blog directly from the web, you can click the "comments" link below.
Comments